When Great Treasures Are Lost
by Lady Luce
Summary: Elladan and Elrohir are captured by orcs to lure Elrond into a deadly trap. Both twins must depend on each other to survive the ordeal as they struggle desperatly to hold onto a light in the darkest of places.
1. Chapter 1

**_-_When Great Treasures Are Lost-**

-ElvenHope-

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AN: The twins their father and the whole world of middle earth belongs to the genius professor J.R.R Tolkien. I am not making any money out of this and am only writing it for the heck of it. 

This is a bit of a taster chapter I suppose - I had writers block so I uploaded it. This is first in a series of twins related angst stories and this chapter does need editing. I just wanted to see what you guys thought. Please review! And enjoy! Oh and Happy New Year!

**(Warning: When I say angst I mean angst - the first sentence should be a dead give away so if you don't like child abuse or inner character turmoilthen I suggest that you walk away and find a story about some happy little elves ok? Oh and there is no slash in this story whatsoever any mentions of 'love' is simply brotherly love. ****If you want to believe that there is then I will not stop you from doing so, but please keep your comments to yourself. Reviews from everyone and anyone, however, are appreciated).**

I hope you enjoy.

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Elladan looked at his twin sadly and wished desperately that he could hold his brother as tears cascaded down Elrohir's cheeks. He himself was shaking, but he would not cry for his brother's sake more than his own, in fact if Elrohir wasn't there he would have wept by now. Instead he only whimpered when the whip slashed across his back. 

"'Ro look at me," Elladan hissed through clenched teeth trying to catch the other elf's attention.

Both twins were bound with their wrists above their heads, their ropes tied about a low slung tree branch. The brother's hung barely inches apart, facing one another, but Elrohir could barely see his eyes were so clouded by tears. Still he heard his brother's voice and looked up at Elladan his silver eyes locking with his brother's.

"Don't pay attention to them, look at me," Elladan whispered softly in elvish his voice hoarse. There was panic in the younger twins eyes and his chest was rising and falling rapidly as he tried to fill his lungs with air that he simply could not get enough of. His throat seemed to have constricted form fear and he found that he was gulping in the substance so as not to suffocate. "Slow your breathing," Elladan said gently as new wounds were opened on his already bruised and bleeding back. "Just try and calm down if you hyperventilate it will only make it worse."

Elrohir nodded and bit down on his lip so hard that it broke the skin as he was struck again with the whip.

The orcs had reveled in the fact that the boys were twins and had begun to bet on who would cry out first. It had been Elrohir. He had tried to hold it in, but eventually everything had become too much. The orcs had made the beatings equal to ensure that it had been a fair test and when Elrohir had finally screamed a cheer had gone up from members of the orc camp whilst other's had hissed in annoyance.

Elladan could feel the warm blood running down his back and felt ill, a particularly nasty thrashing was given to both boys suddenly and they cried out in pain. He cut him-self off abruptly. "Elrohir listen to me," Elladan said still speaking in elvish. "We can't cry out, if we do Ada will find us do you understand me?"

Elrohir thought his brother may have gone mad; didn't they want their father to find them? But then again he supposed his twin was right. The twins were not mere sport for the band of orcs, the fowl creatures were using the boys to draw Elrond to them and that was something neither of the twins could allow to happen.

When finally the whipping stopped Elladan sighed in relief and opened his eyes - which had somehow managed to close - to look at his brother. Elrohir's eyes were closed and for a moment panic flared through Elladan as terrible thoughts flooded his mind, but then he saw that his brother's chest was rising and falling slowly.

"Now look what you've done Rorzagh," the orc captain said scolding his underling. "You've knocked the brat out, we need these whelps awake and squeaking until their father is here."

Elladan felt the orc who had just spoken very close by behind him and struck out with his feet kicking the creature in the chest, winding the fowl beast as rage coursed through the young elf. No one hurt his brother and got away with it! No one!

"Why you little scum bag," the captain said jumping up and taking Elladan's face roughly in his clawed fingers, the jagged nails cutting the young elf's flesh. Elladan glowered at the disgusting creature before spitting in the orc's face. The creature reeled away from the young elf in disgust deliberately dragging its long fingernails across Elladan's face and leaving thin cuts across the peredhil's cheeks which instantly began to pool with blood. The orc then slapped the elfling across the face making Elladan bash into his twin and bow his head in the process. Elladan didn't even bother to bring his head back up he just let it hang there, his energy was spent and now without Elrohir he no longer needed to be strong.

The day hadn't started out like this at all. No, it had been a wonderful day, the first day the twins were allowed to venture off on their own and they had just landed themselves in heaps of trouble - if they survived this, they would most certainly not survive their father's lectures.

_'Stay on the path I marked out for you,' _his father's words rang inside his head.

* * *

_'There has been news of orcs coming down from the mountains, you must stay on the path," Elrond's eye_brows _creased as he looked at his young son's - well not young anymore he supposed, both were teetering on the edge of adult hood and all though at the moment they were still classed as children Elrond had finally agreed that he should give them a chance to prove themselves as adults - they were mucking about with a role of bandages which Elrond had insisted they take with them, throwing it between one another. "Are you too even listening to me?"_

_Both twins turned back to face their father at the sharp tone and the bandages fell to the floor._

_"Pick them up," Elrond instructed and both twins leant down to pick up the bandages smacking their foreheads together on accident. "Oh dear Valar," Elrond said as the pair began to laugh at each other rubbing their aching foreheads. "You know I'm starting to reconsider this after all."_

_"But that would be going back on your word," Elladan protested whilst Elrohir bent down to pick up the bandages and stuffed them in his pack. "That is a very dishonorable thing to do."_

_"I don't recall giving you my word," Elrond said looking at the twins who were both grinning like Cheshire cats._

_"Well you did," Elrohir said quickly._

_"And you can't take it back," Elladan added._

_"So we'll be going now Ada," Elrohir grinned shouldering his pack and waiting for his brother to do the same._

_"We need to go now or it will be dark before we have even entered the woods," Elladan joked._

_With that both twins moved around their father and made for the door._

_"Just remember what I have told you," Elrond called after them. "Stay on the path!"

* * *

_

The journey along the path had been rather uneventful and so they had opted to disobey their father. It was most likely that Elrond had sent either Glorfindel or one of his other trusted friends to trail them anyway. The last time they had been supposedly allowed out alone they had known immediately that someone was following them. So they had rigged a trap, which they had learned how to make one day when they had actually paid attention to their teacher, and caught the unsuspecting Balrog Slayer.

Both had found this hysterically funny until neither of the young elves could get the irate Glorfindel down and had considered leaving him there. After all he had been spying on them and they had no desire to let him down whilst he was in that sort of a temper. Eventually they had managed it, but it had taken time and Glorfindel had free fallen a good twelve feet. After which he had chased the pair of them back to the Last Homely House where there had been a massive argument in which Glorfindel had stated he was never _ever_ going to baby-sit the twins again, as he so called it, whilst Elrond had to try and explain to his son's why he had sent Glorfindel to look after them.

But as the pair of them had set off this time they had not detected anyone following them and the day had been a rather boring one - it was sunny with blue skies, but nothing of any interest - and they had decided to take a detour to a lake which they could swim in and rest by. After a good few hours relaxing there they had realized the sun was setting and had only just gotten dry and changed when the orcs attacked them.

Elladan still remembered it and continued to play the whole thing out through his mind over and over again.

* * *

_Elrohir shook his head quickly to try and dry his hair off somewhat pulling on a thin cotton shirt then reaching for his tunic and boots. Elladan sat perched on a rock, he had been in the process of pulling on his boots when something in the undergrowth had caught his attention._

_"At least Ada did not have us followed this time," Elrohir was saying, and Elladan raised a hand for silence, which Elrohir obviously did not notice. "But last time was fun..."_

_"Hush Elrohir," Elladan commanded softly. "Listen."_

_"To what?" Elrohir asked looking up although his voice quietened slightly._

_"Just listen," Elladan snapped._

_Elrohir was startled by the tone of urgency in his brother's voice and stood as Elladan did. The elder twin dashed to his bow and quiver and nocked an arrow staring at the undergrowth daring anything to come out at him. Elrohir went to do the same but before he could he heard an evil howl and looked up to see orcs surge out of the trees towards them. Elladan's arrow flew true and hit its target felling one of the beasts but before he could even contemplate drawing his sword the orcs were on them and it took the throng of fowl being mere seconds to overcome the young elves, pinning their arms behind their backs and shoving them forward moving through the trees to a new clearing carrying the struggling elflings. Both shouted for help wishing that their father had sent someone after them, but alas it was not so and both dreaded what these fowl creatures had in store for them. As they were dragged into the clearing the orcs spat on them snarling disgusting comments calling the twins half breeds because of his father's half elven heritage._

_The pair of them were stripped down to the waist by groping, clawed, hands and they tried desperately to pull away as the orc's sharp nails scratched their pale flesh drawing blood and making the twins struggle even harder until the orcs slapped them both momentarily stunning the frightened elflings. The orcs bound them then, wrenching their hands above their heads and binding them with coarse ropes of knotted hemp then dragging them over to a tree with low hanging branches._

_The orcs intentions had become clear as soon as they were bound to the tree's low branch and the captain had brought a whip holding it coiled in his hand and trailing the frayed end across Elrohir's face, smiling as the younger elf shivered._

_"Which one do you reckon will squeal first Rorzagh?" Bangronk, the captain, asked leering at the young elves as he trailed the whip down Elrohir's back. All the orcs were excited about drawing elven blood, but they knew that leaving the boys waiting for a while longer would aid them. Despite how stupid the creatures could be sometimes they knew that given time fear could break the mightiest warrior if used properly. It was just an emotion, just a feeling, but one so strong that given just a short time would leave their captives trembling and wishing for death, it was such a strong emotion that it could kill given time. A person's mind could wreak terrible havoc on them when left to its own devices even without the person having the pain inflicted on them. It would be interesting for the creatures to see what sort of a state their captives could get themselves into before they even applied the threatened beating._

_"I don't know," Rorzagh seemed to study the pair of them intently. "At the moment that one," he said shoving Elrohir, "seems more likely to scream first, but this one could just be hiding it all in and then when we start on them he may break first."_

_Elladan's terrified gaze locked with his brother's and Elrohir tried to comfort his twin in the only way he new how._

_"Oiale nad na trow," Elrohir whispered to the other elf in the grey tongue as Elladan began to shake from fear. "Tirio-nin lasto-nin avo last hain. Im si an le."_

_"Hannon le," Elladan said. He should be stronger than this why was he being so weak?_

_"Ah but now this one is shaking," Bangronk said running a clawed fingers down Elladan's back and sending shivers up the young elf's spine as blood spilt from the cut which the orc had made with his sharp nails._

_The waiting was bringing the young elves to the brink of sanity as their captors toyed with them evilly their actions a mixture of sadism and morbid fascination as they tested the young beings; pulling at and smelling the locks of raven hair that hung down about the twin's shoulders running their hands across the lithe bodies, and watching as the alabaster skin bled slightly from cuts caused by the their sharp fingernails. The orcs were in no rush for it would take a few more hours before a search party was sent out and they had yet to know whether Elrond would be leading it. They needed the twins as bait and if they were awake then that was all the better they needed the young elves to cry so that their father could find them._

_The orcs found it odd to look at and touch the exact opposite of what they were. The two young elves were as pure as they were not completely opposite in ever single way. Whereas elves were fair the orcs were ugly and maybe the most ironic thing of all was that the orcs had originally been elves. It was as though the orcs hated the fair beings for simply being their opposites, which was understandable. But more than anything these orcs hated Elrond. He had been one of those who had lead the elves in the last alliance and it was because of him and others that the orcs had become scattered, divided, leaderless, fleeing for the mountains and the darkness of the caves._

_"Should we begin then?" Rorzagh asked taking up position behind Elladan whip in hand. Another orc moved up behind Elrohir also holding another of the cruel whips and Bangronk seemed to be thinking for a minute before he spoke in his low guttural voice to the twins._

_"Which of you do you believe will scream first?" He asked smiling at the twins' discomfort. "Which of you is the younger?" When neither of them spoke Bangronk reached out and shook Elladan hard making his already hurting wrists rub against the hemp and he whimpered softly. "I said which of you is the younger?"_

_"I am," Elrohir said drawing the orc's attention away from his brother._

_Bangronk sneered. "And who do you believe will cry out first?"_

_Elrohir looked across at his brother wondering what to say. "I will," he said softly._

_Bangronk nodded. "Who bets on this one?" He called to the group about them and the other orcs called out their agreements._

_Elladan tried to catch his brother's gaze, but Elrohir would not look at him and then Elladan screwed his eyes tight shut as the first lash was dealt and the orc pack exploded into shrieks of excitement. The twins heard the whip crack first and they lurched forward from impact bashing into one another the stinging bite of the cruel device leaving a ribbon of blood trailing down both twin's backs. Both of them bit their lips in an attempt to stay silent, neither of them wanted to cry out for they did not want to give the orcs the pleasure nor did they want to be the first to cry out. The whips slowly shredded the flesh on the younger elves backs as they steeled themselves from the pain swearing not to give their captors the joy of their cries, but as the beating increased so did the pain. 'Don't cry out don't cry out,' the thoughts echoed through both their minds but Elrohir lacked the will power of his brother._

_After twenty strokes of the whip a scream was torn from the younger twin's throat and the orcs jeered in satisfaction. Only after another ten did Elladan cry out and soon the brothers' screams rent the air as the tormentors beat them mercilessly.

* * *

_

Elladan's head was wrenched back up as Bangronk tangled his hand in the young elf's hair and spat in his face. "See how you like it," he sneered at the disgusted Elladan and the young elf shuddered. "I suppose we will have to be more careful," Bangronk said. "We need to keep you two squeaking so that your Ada can find you. How long do you think it will take before he comes looking for you?"

Elladan just glowered at the orc. His father would not find them! He would rather die at the hands of these fowl creatures than see his family and friends suffer.

"Or will he just abandon you? After all who would want pathetic whelps like you for sons?" Bangronk asked an evil smile spreading across the twisted featured. "Your father is probably glad that you are gone." It didn't matter that it was a lie, the words still hurt Elladan and he wished that the orc was not holding his hair so that he could lower his head. He did not feel strong, he was weak and he wanted his Ada to comfort him, but at the moment it looked as though he would never see his father again.

Elladan looked away from the orc as he tried to keep himself calm hehad to protect them now.

Elrohir stirred slightly his eye lids flickering before he opened them completely his brain taking a second to process the information given to him by his senses and come out with the answer to where he was.

"Let go of him," Elrohir ground out defensively as he saw tears pricking in his brother's eyes and Elladan closed them so as to stop them from spilling over. This, however, did not have the desired effect and the tears slipped from beneath his lashes running down his pale cheeks. Bangronk wiped them away with a clawed finger.

"Tears from the brave sons of Elrond?" Bangronk teased inspecting the moisture on his finger.

"Leave my brother alone spawn of Morgoth." Elrohir hissed kicking out with his legs.

"Hm playful whelp are we?" Bangronk asked turning to Elrohir. "I wonder just how playful the pair of you can be," he said maliciously eyes flashing and Elrohir gulped, he could only guess what the orc was implying.

"Leave my brother alone!" Elrohir growled fiercely.

"Ssh, Elrohir," Elladan said quietly still not opening his eyes.

"Your brother is smart see," Bangronk said to Elrohir. "You keep quiet until we want you to scream."

With that Bangronk turned and left the young elves moving into the midst of the camp to get his share of the food. There was no point in continuing to beat the boys for at least another few hours anyway, they needed news about what was happening in The Last Homely House and to know whether the Lord of Imladris was coming or not. If things began to get boring then he may give them a going over again, but at the moment he was content to leave them.

"'Dan," Elrohir said his earlier despair forgotten as he saw that his brother was beginning to loose hope. The light that surrounded his twin was beginning to fade and Elrohir knew that he had to somehow show the other elf that he could not give up this easily or loose his brother to a terrible fate. "'Dan?"

"What?" The other elf asked opening his eyes and locking his gaze with Elrohir. Their foreheads nearly touched and Elrohir could feel the despair and fear coming off his brother in waves.

"Don't give up," Elrohir whispered. "I don't want you to leave me here alone."

Elladan smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "You are never alone 'Ro, and I will not leave you so easily."

"And I'm not going anywhere," Elrohir said quietly.

Elladan closed his eyes again. "Ada's not coming."

"What do you mean?" Elrohir asked his brother confused.

"He's not coming 'Ro," Elladan said softly trying to stop his voice from shaking. "We can't let him find us, we're going to die here."

"But he might come with a whole army," Elrohir said trying to lighten his brother's mood. "Or at least a patrol, and Glorfindel - he counts for ten."

"If Glorfindel counts for ten then Ada counts for fifty," Elladan said his voice still quiet.

"Precisely," Elrohir said. "He'll come in here like an avenging angel and kill all these orcs and set us free and... and..." Elladan heard his brother's voice break and opened his eyes to see that Elrohir was crying again the tears shimmering in the dim firelight as they ran in rivulets down his cheeks. The last few hours had hurt both of them badly, physically and mentally and neither of them could keep up their act of resilliance any longer.

Elladan cast his gaze up to the stars and found Earendil doing his best to keep his own emotions in check. He began to sing a song that their mother had sung to them when they were little, and still did now when it was called for, it would most certainly be called for if the twins ever got back to Imladris, but now Elladan sang it for his brother.

_'En elen tu erio am ar_

_Tal en menel or ammen hi_

_Earendil tal en nedhdu gwilith_

_Im tath nia le anoiale_

_Ha thio sui nauth im palan _

_Im critho forn si ar le_

_Oiale du oiale aur_

_Im tath anoiale berio le o hi ambar_

_Ui en li o dur_

_Im tath no si garo le ta nin ran...'_

"Quiet scum!" Rorzagh yelled throwing a large stone at Elladan and hitting him hard in the side of the head splittling the young elf's temple and sending crimson blood running down the side of his cheek. Elladan's eyes rolled as he teetered on the brink of consciousness and his head fell forwards slightly as he tried desperatly to cling onto the waking world.

Elrohir shifted his head rubbing his forehead against his brother's not caring about the blood that he involuntarily wiped across his own forehead. "Stay with me 'Dan," he said as Elladan's head lolled forwards. "'Dan! Stay awake Elladan saesa!" A tear slipped down Elrohir's cheek as desperation took over him, he didn't want to be left alone in the darkness with no one to talk to he needed Elladan here with him now. As well as that though he was worried about his brother's health, the head wound could be serious and he needed looking over or the wound at least needed staunching. "Saesa Elladan stay awake." It was clear to him now, however, that his brother was unconscious and that Elladan would not wake up for a long while no matter how much his brother wished that he would. "'Dan please," he whispered tears overcoming him and slipping down his cheeks he needed Elladan now he needed his brother with him - awake.

Eventually he was heard by the orcs and a few of them, including Rorzagh and Bangronk moved over prodding the young elf.

"Leave... me... alone," Elrohir managed around his sobs.

"Do you hear that Rorzagh?" One of the orc's asked. "This pointy-ear thinks he can order us about," the orc tugged on Elrohir's ear for emphasis.

"Get... off me," Elrohir growled his breath hitching.

"Do you think we should teach him a lesson?" Rorzagh asked looking at the young elf.

"I dunno," another said. "It's more fun when the other is awake and can watch."

"Well he has to be taught a lesson and it can't wait until this one wakes," Bangronk said shoving Elladan. "You should be more careful Rorzagh, and don't knock this one out we need at least one of them awake, patrols are being sent out, and the damned elf lord is with them."

"Ada," Elrohir whispered. He remembered what Elladan said and new that it was the truth. He couldn't cry out, he just couldn't, if his father was drawn to them then eveything would just get a whole lot worse.

"Yes," Bangronk sneered. "Your _Ada _is comin' and then we're gonna stick both you little maggots." Bangronk turned to Rorzagh. "For now just give 'im a going over with that whip, make 'im squeel so that we can draw the elf lord to us."

Elrohir trembled as Rorzagh took up position behind the young elf and drew back the whip. He stifled a sob as the whip struck across his bear shoulders leaving another laceration on the boy's terribly scarred and bleeding back. After only five strokes from the whip he cried out the sound echoing through the night air muffled by sobs. The world began to spin when a particularily harsh blow was delivered smashing Elrohir into his brother and his vision was clouded by grey mist.

"Ada..." he breathed. "Ada please help me... please."

"How touching," Rorzagh sneered. "The little brat is crying for his Adar. Well he's not coming!"

"Hold up," Bangronk warned Rorzagh holding out a hand to show the other orc that he should stop. "You'll knock 'im out."

Elrohir was praying for the darkness to take him, but Rorzagh did not strike him again and he didn't fall into the darkness he would have so welcomed. Instead he hung there by his aching wrists his eyes closed as he tried to calm his breathing.

* * *

_Translation:_

_Oile nad na trow - Everything is fine_

_Tirio-nin lasto-nin avo last hain - Look at me listen to me don't listen to them_

_Im si an le - I am here for you_

_Hannon le - Thank you_

_Saesa - Please

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	2. Chapter 2

**-When Great Treasures Are Lost-**

-ElvenHope-

**Part Two**

Elrond looked out of the large window of his study and sighed. The last pink fingers of sunset were slowly receding from the twilight sky and it worried him greatly. His son's should have been back hours ago, but he had seen neither head nor tail of them since they raced out of the house earlier that day. What if something bad had happened to them? Anything could have, the wargs could have come down from the mountains in search of food or worse orcs could have picked them off for sport.

He shook his head trying to dispel the terrible thoughts. No, the twins had probably just let time get away from them, either that or fallen asleep. Or maybe they were just playing a trick on him, although it was not a very funny one. If they were then they would get a talking to later and a lecture on worrying their mother. Celebrain was extremely worried she would not sit still at dinner noticing the two empty seats and she would not eat, instead she just picked at her food despite how much Elrond had tried to comfort her, telling her that they had only been gone for a short while.

There was a knock on the door to his study and he turned calling for whoever it was to enter.

"My Lord," Glorfindel bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment.

"Glorfindel mellon-nin any news?" Elrond asked his face lighting up at the prospect that his sons had been found.

Glorfindel looked grave and Elrond's face fell. "I'm sorry mellon-nin there is no trace of your sons."

Elrond sighed heavily. "I'm going out there."

"In the dark?" Glorfindel asked not that the dark really mattered to elves. "Hir-nin, would it not be better to wait until morning. The moon is not out, it is nigh impossible to find their tracks and there is no sign of them anywhere even with the aid of the light."

"I don't care," Elrond snapped then calmed himself. "I am sorry Glorfindel forgive me for snapping at you, I am just worried that is all. I would never be able to forgive myself if something bad happened to them."

Glorfindel nodded in understanding. His friend had been through a lot in his life. He had lost both his father and his mother when he was young. Then on top of that he and his twin had watched as their whole world had come down around them thanks to the son's of Feanor. They were lucky really that Maedhros and Maglor had taken pity on them and actually become rather fond of the young twins. It still did not, however, erase the scars it had left on the elven lord's heart. Especially as they had also had to deal with the fact that they were only half elves - in fact it was the taunting of the other members of the elven race that had driven Elros to leaving his twin and becoming human and so leaving his brother to wonder the world alone - although that was not for very long.

If Elrond lost the twins though, it would be very easy for Elrond and his wife to sink into despair and then if that happened, Glorfindel looked down at Vilya on the elven king's finger - it was concealed to most, but Glorfindel had seen it work once before and now the ring was visible to him, for none could witness the power of one of the great rings and remain unchanged; he had, however, been sworn to secrecy and so would never reveal to anyone where one of the elven rings was - he didn't want to think. If that happened they Vilya could become unstable and that would be a very bad thing.

"I will come with you then," Glorfindel said he was not about to let the elven lord go alone.

"You have been searching all this evening..."

Glorfindel raised an elegant eyebrow mirroring a look that he had learnt form his friend long ago. "I'm coming with you Elrond."

Elrond had learnt long ago not to argue with his friend. Glorfindel was extremely stubborn and once the blond elf had actually refused to be put to sleep whilst Elrond stitched up a rather nasty wound he had received from a warg whilst journeying through the Misty Mountains, this had been an extremely bad idea and both would never forget it.

"Alright, alright," Elrond rolled his eyes grabbing a cloak from where it had been hanging on a peg by the door. "Come on."

* * *

"'Ro, come on. Wake up, Elrohir, you have to eat, you need your strength," Elladan was trying to coax his brother into eating before the food was taken away from them. Elrohir needed to eat, Elladan didn't know what had happened, but his brother seemed to have given up completely. The orcs had let the young elves down for a moment and brought them some form of cold stew - what ever it was made of Elladan did not want to know. Both were still tied securely to the tree, this time they were tied in a kneeling position at the base of the tree. Each had only one hand free, the other tied to their feet which were bound so that they could feed themselves but there was no way for them to escape. Elrohir was resting heavily against his brother, his food left untouched his eyes glazed and distant. 

Elladan had woken just as they were being cut down, his head felt as though there was an insane dwarf with an axe inside it trying desperately to break out and at first he had been too weak to understand what was going on. As soon as he realized that his brother was distressed, however, he had quickly pushed his thoughts aside and tried to help his twin. Now he was holding his Elrohir's spoon in his hand holding it in front of his brother's mouth. Elrohir would eat if Elladan fed him, but he was eating slowly and most of it dribbled down his chin.

"Snap out of it 'Ro!" Elladan hissed. "You have to eat! I will get you out of here, just eat, just try Elrohir please."

Elrohir did not respond, he just lay against his brother, his breathing rattled heavily and the aura that glowed about him was beginning to diminish quickly. Elladan was terrified that his brother would leave him.

He raised another spoonful of the steaming liquid, blowing on it before holding it out in front of Elrohir's mouth. The young elf opened his cracked lips slowly and Elladan fed him the stew taking care not to let Elrohir spill it down his chin.

Elrohir wanted to die, he felt wretched and weak - he had never been made to feel so helpless. He didn't want to remember what had happened to him the night before, but when he shut his eyes to try and get away from everything he could still see it on the inside of his eyelids, the images imprinted there would not fade away like he wished they would. The staring eyes and the cruel hands grabbing at him, tugging at his hair and ears mockingly. He would never forget it, never especially not how they had held him down and he had screamed at them to let him go crying for his father and brother - no he would never be able to erase the terrible memories.

"Elrohir please," Elladan said, he was tired and frustrated and his brother was not helping him, he was on the verge of either smacking some sense into the younger elf or bursting into tears. "I can't do this alone! I can't!" He dropped the spoon, grabbing his brother with his free hand and turning Elrohir to face him. "Now for Eru's sake snap out of it!" He moved before he knew what was happening and instantly regretted it as his hand connected with his brother's cheek slapping Elrohir across the face. Elrohir whimpered in pain raising his free hand up to his stinging cheek. His brother had never hit him before, not like that. The pair of them had had scuffles before and fought a lot, but most of the time that was just for fun, this was different.

Elrohir's silver grey eyes locked onto his brother's before looking away as tears began to fill them.

"Elrohir I... I didn't... I," Elladan tried to find the right words, but he couldn't form a complete sentence as he stared down at his hand and then back up to the red mark on his brother's face. "Elrohir... please..."

The orcs were laughing and Elladan guessed that they had seen him hit his brother. Bangronk, Rorzagh and the other's came over and Elrohir immediately shifted to hide behind his brother. Elladan reached out and found his brother's hand squeezing it tightly. _I'm sorry -_ the action expressed more than he could put into words at that moment.

"I won't let them touch you again," he whispered his voice fiercely protective. Whatever had happened to his brother whilst he was unconscious had hurt him badly, he would not let them get to Elrohir again. "By the Valar I swear it, if they want you they'll have to get through me first, do you hear me?"

Elladan hoped that his brother had nodded, but he could not see, instead he just held onto his brother's hand tighter.

"Now, now then," Rorzagh said looking down at the young elves. "You're doing our job for us boy. We don't want you killing him before we get the chance."

"You won't get the chance," Elladan hissed eyes flashing. "You're not going to lay a finger on him or I'll... I'll bite it off!"

The orcs broke into laughter, but Elladan was dead serious.

"We already have boy," Rorzagh grinned evilly.

Elrohir began to shake violently behind him and Elladan turned to his brother concerned, checking the young elf over. For the first time he noticed how bad his brother looked. Elrohir's face was wan and pale, his eyes wide and frightened, but it was not that which concerned him the most. His twin's pale skin contrasted terribly with the great purple bruises that covered him; they were around his eyes and across his back and chest, and there were two terrible marks on both of his forearms which looked like hand prints.

"'Ro?" Elladan asked softly. "'Ro what did they do to you?"

Elrohir just shook his head slowly lowering his eyes, unable to speak. He swallowed hard, but his throat just constricted further and instead he just concentrated on his breathing trying to calm himself.

"Elrohir!"

Tears ran down the younger elf's cheeks and he tried to speak, but he could not find his voice.

"What have you done to him!" Elladan shouted at the foul beasts. "What have you done to him! You evil, terrible, disgusting, fiends what have you done to my brother!" He would have used a whole list of words if he could think of them, but at that moment he was not thinking straight - if he had been he would have probably kept his mouth shut.

The orc closest to Elladan kicked him full on in the face with a booted foot and the elder twin fell backwards onto the hard ground moaning as he raised his handhesitantly to touch his bloody and probably broken nose.

Elrohir just stared wide eyed too terrified to do anything as the orcs talked in their own terrible language before grabbing him and cutting his ropes tying him back up to the branch they had been tied to before. The younger twin shivered and shied away from the foul beasts touch, and the orcs jeered and laughed at him.

They grabbed Elladan next and tied him back up giving them both a shove for good measure before leaving the two brother's and going back into their camp leaving warnings that they would be back later.

Elladan tried to catch Elrohir's eye but his twin would not look at him blinking back the tears in his eyes.

"Elrohir?" Elladan asked once the silence became too much to bear. "What did they do?"

Elrohir stayed silent.

"Elrohir your being silent will not help," Elladan said softly. "I am sorry I struck you, it was wrong of me to do so, I did not mean to loose my temper, but I need your help. If you give up then I have no hope. Please Elrohir tell me what they did."

Elrohir shook his head.

"Please," Elladan said pleading with his eyes as well as his words.

Elrohir sighed shakily then began to speak in a whisper that only elven ears would be able to hear.

"Last night after you fell unconscious they whipped me," Elrohir said his voice shaking slightly. "I thought that they had left me for the night after that, but I was wrong..."

* * *

_Elrohir tried to calm his breathing as the orcs came back. Why were they coming back? Hadn't they done enough already? Rorzagh drew a blade and Elrohir's eyes widened immediately as he noticed it thinking that it was meant to harm him. Instead Rorzagh raised the blade above his head and cut the rope that held Elrohir to the tree branch. The young elf fell to the ground hard and moaned softly. His hands were still bound and one of the orcs grabbed him dragging him over into the middle of the camp where the other orcs waited patiently. Elrohir dug his heels in to the hard earth terrified of what they might do, but the orc clouted him over the back of the head and he stumbled giving the orcs enough time to drag him into the centre of the camp._

_The orc who had been dragging him shoved him to the ground and the orcs crowded around him effectively blocking his escape. Elrohir's eyes were frightened and he was shaking as he tried to see a way to escape standing slowly and turning round trying to see a way out. _

_The blow that came next across the back of the head was completely unexpected and he fell to the ground. He could not use his hands to break his fall seeing as they were bound in front of him still and so he crashed down to the ground hard. He tried to scramble up, but hands grabbed his forearms pinning him down. He stared up at the ring of orcs terrified, trying to calm his breathing.

* * *

_

"They stripped me off and beat me," he swallowed hard his eyes glassy and wide as he looked at his brother quickly before looking away again. "They were threatening to... to kill me... 'Dan I was more frightened than I've ever been and I... I agreed to do whatever they wanted me to."

"What did you do 'Ro?" Elladan asked worriedly his eyes darting about his brother's face trying to discern what he had done. "What did you do?"

Elrohir couldn't speak again and tears were welling in his eyes. Elladan knew that it had to be something serious, but couldn't for the life of him figure out what it could be.

"Elrohir please tell me, I can't stand this I need to know what ails you, so that I can help." Elladan said quietly. "Saesa."

"You'll hate me," Elrohir said softly. "Everyone is going to hate me."

"What did you do?" Elladan pressed worry for his brother filling him as he looked over the bruises which marred his brother's pale skin, he could only imagine what that would have felt like.

Elrohir shook his head mutely.

"Please Elrohir," Elladan begged. "I'm your brother, you can tell me anything I won't be angry."

"You promise?" Elrohir asked his voice sounding small and helpless.

"Yes," Elladan nodded. "You can trust me."

Elrohir swallowed hard looking up at his brother, his silver grey eyes locking with Elladan's. The words that he spoke next were barely a whisper and Elladan couldn't believe the words once they had left his brother's lips.

"I told them about Vilya."

* * *

Elrond stared at the trees mournfully it was beginning to get dark already and there had been no trace of the twins. They had been searching since last night and had not yet gone back to the Last Homely House despite how much Glorfindel thought that they should. 

"Elrond, we should go," Glorfindel said looking at the sky.

"I'm not leaving until I've found them," Elrond said walking on through the trees.

"It's getting dark though," Glorfindel protested. "And Celebrain will be getting worried."

Elrond turned to Glorfindel and the Balrog slayer could see how terribly tired the elf lord looked and he knew that it wasn't because Elrond hadn't slept. "Saesa mellon-nin, go back to Celebrain and tell her not to worry, I will continue searching."

"Something has clearly gone wrong though," Glorfindel said. "If your sons have been taken by orcs then you alonewill not be able to save them."

"I would not be so stupid as to wonder into an orc camp all by myself, even if my sons were there!" Elrond snapped. "I will figure out something if I find them, but I have to keep searching."

Glorfindel looked at him slowly. "Alright." He said quickly. "Just be careful."

With that the golden haired elf turned on his heal and walked away through the trees, soon becoming lost in the undergrowth.

Elrond sighed heavily and turned back to the forest uncertainly, wondering which way he should go.

He was about to walk on when a heart stopping sound made him freeze. He turned back to look through the trees his heart pounding wildly as it leapt up into his throat and his stomach sank down into his toes. He didn't even think to call Glorfindel back he just began to race through the undergrowth. He followed his sons' cries as they filtered through the trees desperation urging him on faster and faster.

When he saw them... when he dashed into the clearing and actually saw them... his heart felt as though it had been savagely torn from his chest.

* * *

"You... you told them about Ada's ring?" Elladan said slowly trying to absorb the information. 

Elrohir nodded sadly tears rolling down his cheeks.

"And you know what that could do?" Elladan asked turning terrified eyes on his brother.

Elrohir nodded again. He felt wretched, their father had entrusted them with the knowledge of his ring a few years ago thinking that he could trust his sons' and Elrohir had betrayed him. It could be the end of Rivendel if the Necromancer ever found out about it.

"I'm so pathetic," Elrohir managed. "Ada trusted me and I couldn't keep his secret for him. You would have been able to, I'm so weak." Elrohir shut his eyes trying to stop the tears escaping.

"No, no you're not," Elladan said trying to reassure his twin.

"I am, don't try to tell me otherwise," Elrohir said quietly. "I'm pathetic."

"You got that right," Bangronk growled coming up from out of the forest a dead rabbit in his hand. "You sang like a canary boy." He threw the rabbit down and grabbed Elrohir's chin roughly. "And now that we have that information breaking your father will be so much easier." Elrohir whimpered as Bangronk's claws dug into his cheeks harder. Bangronk let go suddenly jerking Elrohir's face roughly down and smashing the younger twin's forehead against Elladan's. "Rorzagh these two need some more tickling!"

Elrohir stiffened and Elladan looked at his younger brother worriedly. Elrohir defiantly seemed far younger than him at the moment and despite how frightened Elladan was he knew that Elrohir needed him. He began humming a tune to another lullaby their mother used to sing to them and Elrohir looked up at his twin sadly.

Rorzagh and another orc came up behind the twins both cracking the whips menacingly, waiting until Bangronk gave the orders to begin. Both of the twins flinched at the sound, but Elladan kept on humming.

"Ready?" Bangronk asked and the twins didn't know if the question was directed at them or the other orcs. Bangronk shouted an order in his own tongue and Rorzagh and the other orc moved forwards drawing back their arms and striking both across the back.

Elrohir bit his lip. He would not cry out he would not show weakness again. Elladan kept on humming, but the tune faltered every time the whip slashed across his back. The beatings were once again painfully even and even though Elrohir had suffered badly last night both twins still felt equally as awful. Elladan was still humming through gritted teeth trying to think about something other than the terrible pain and Elrohir had bit down so hard on his lip that it was bleeding.

This time, after ten strokes of the whip it was Elladan who cried out first the sound splitting the night sky and the humming stopped for good then. After only another two strokes a scream was wrenched from Elrohir's throat but it cut off abruptly as he managed to stifle it. Both boys bit their lips trying not to give their captors any satisfaction by crying out again, but they could not keep it up for long.

_This is what it is like to die, _Elladan thought morbidly. _I am going to die here, beaten to death by the foulest creatures in the whole of Arda watching as my brother dies beside me. _He looked up at Elrohir who had blood running down his chin as he bit down so hard on his lower lip, his eyes wide and frightened glassy from unshed tears. He could only imagine what he must look like probably about the same as Elrohir.

Elladan cried out again and soon Elrohir's mingled with his own as both were delivered particularly hard blows. The orcs about them were jeering at them and now betting on who would be the first to fall unconscious.

Elladan barely heard himself suck in air as he began to sob out of desperation, begging to be released. He twisted away from the blows, trying to evade their stinging bite. But the whip found him every time. He cursed himself for being so weak, for not taking the whipping like the noble son of an elven lord he was. But no matter what he did every sting of the whip dragged Elladan farther into unconsciousness. He was being sucked under, the world slowly turning black as the melody of his soul faded.

After only a few more blows of the whip both were sobbing and the screams were endless.

* * *

_Translations:_

_Mellon-nin - My friend_

_Hir-nin - My Lord_

_Saesa - Please_

_Ada - Dad_

**_A/N: I think I may be picking on Elrohir a bit, but trust me Elladan will suffer as well (how evil does that sound?) Anyway thank you for the reviews! I should update this once every week, same as Shadows of The Past - I actually started writing down when I update my writing on my calendar and my mum and sister still can't figure out what the heck Imean. Well please review! As many as last time would be good, or maybe more, I'm hoping the reviews will go up to 20, but maybe that's a bit optimistic._**

**_Well all the same please review!_**

**_ElvenHope_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three**

He heard a cry of 'Ada' as he raced through the trees and knew that neither of his sons' could see him or sense him close by, but were simply praying that he would somehow hear them. The thought stung him painfully, but he was glad that soon he would be able to save them from whatever terrible torment they were enduring, he just prayed he wouldn't be too late.

When he burst through the clearing and saw them... actually saw them the whole world went the colour of blood red. Everything was a blur as he let out a cry of rage drawing his sword and racing across the clearing. All he wanted to do was cause these creatures so much pain - they would regret the day they laid a finger on his sons. He was too horrified and angry for conscious thought, but this seemed to aid him greatly.

The elf lord was largely outnumbered but he really did seem to count for fifty elves as he moved faster than lightning killing the creatures before they knew what had hit them. He sustained a number of injuries, most only scrapes and cuts, but he had a deep slash across his thigh before he actually reached his sons - luckily by then a good half of the orcs were dead.

As he reached them Bangronk cut Elladan down making him whimper as he landed on the hard ground. Bangronk pulled Elladan up and held a knife up against the younger elf's throat tangling a hand in the boys hair and pulling his head back, exposing his neck.

Elrond froze as soon as he saw Elladan and Bangronk grinned evilly. "You kill another one of my men and your boy dies."

"Elladan," Elrond said quietly wondering what to do horrified by this terrible turn of events.

"Drop your weapon," Bangronk growled.

Elrond hesitated. Why had he been so stupid? He should have gone to find Glorfindel now he had just endangered his son's lives further.

Banrgonk pressed the blade harder into the young elf's skin, enough to break it, the crimson blood running down the alabaster skin. Elladan's eyes were wide and frightened as he looked at his father, feeling the warm blood trickle down his neck. "Drop it!"

"Ada," Elladan whimpered terrified, he didn't want to die, he didn't care about being brave anymore, he didn't want to die.

Elrond let the blade slip from his hand and it landed with a terrible thump in the silent forest.

Bangronk nodded to his men to grab the elven lord, but just as they were about to grab him Elrond saw something that made his heart leap. A blur shot from the trees and Bangronk fell dead an arrow in his side.

"Glorfindel!" Elrond exclaimed overjoyed as Elladan rushed to his father and Elrond snatched his blade from the ground cutting his son's bonds. Glorfindel dropped down from his tree firing more arrows at the orcs whilst Elrond cut Elrohir down. Both of the boys hugged their father tightly despite the danger they were still in - luckily Glorfindel was dealing with the orcs well and most were fleeing into the trees.

"I thought you weren't coming," Elladan sobbed into his father's shoulder. "I thought I was going to die Ada," his voice hitched then as he buried his head deeper into Elrond's shoulder tears overcoming him.

Elrohir nodded in agreement too overcome by emotions to speak.

Elrond hugged his son's shoulders' tightly careful of the many cruel stripes that decorated the youngster's slender backs.

"It's alright," Elrond said softly. "I'm here, I'm here, I'll never ever let anything like this happen again. You're safe now."

Glorfindel turned to his friend having finished off the orcs that had not fled and walked over to his friend putting a hand on Elrond's shoulder. "We should leave here quickly, we do not know if there are more of them close by."

Elrond nodded slowly. "Just a minute Glorfindel."

"Alright," said the blond elf as he looked sadly on the young elves who clung onto their father tightly. They were too young, far too young. "But you understand my need for urgency." With that the Balrog slayer turned away and began to collect arrows from the dead bodies, checking if they could be re-used.

Eventually Elladan drew back from his father's embrace standing shakily and rubbing the rope burns about his wrists looking first up at the tree they had been tied to then down at the grass beneath that was stained brown slightly where blood had fallen. He staggered forwards slightly and leant against a tree breathing heavily tears still rolling down his cheeks.

"Elladan?" Elrond asked still holding Elrohir.

"No, Ada, I'm... I'm alright," Elladan said shakily.

"No you're not," Elrond said worriedly. "Come back here."

Elladan shook his head mutely trying to focus his muggy vision breathing was becoming harder, it was as though he couldn't get any breath into his starved lungs. His heart pounded in his chest and his vision went black.

"Elladan!" Elrond shouted as his son's hand slipped from the rough bark of the tree and he fell forwards limply. Glorfindel raced from where he had been standing a few feet away to the young elf and caught him just as he hit the ground laying him down on the forest floor.

"His eyes are closed," Glorfindel observed.

Elrond gently stood still holding Elrohir then turned the younger elf around so that they could walk over. Despite how urgent Elrond was to reach Elladan he was still slow for Elrohir's sake as he moved over to his elder son.

By the time the pair of them had reached Elladan the youth's eyes were already fluttering open. Elladan looked up at their worried faces confused. "What happened?"

"You fainted," Glorfindel said. "I am not surprised you have lost a lot of blood."

Elladan sat up shakily leaning lightly against the tree trunk his breathing heavy.

"Are you feeling alright?" Elrond asked placing a hand on Elladan's brow.

Glorfindel turned suddenly staring through the trees. "There are more coming," he said slowly. "Lots of them, Elrond we must leave."

"They'll take us again... They'll take us again..." Elrohir murmured clinging to his father.

"It's alright Elrohir, I won't let them touch you," Elrond said fiercely. "Now come on," he said pulling the younger twin to his feat as Glofindel did the same for Elladan. "We have to leave."

"Into the hills," Glorfindel said quickly. "We will be able to loose them there."

Elrond nodded. "Quickly."

With that they fled, the older elves trying not to hurt the younger ones in their flight, but at the same time knowing that they had to be fast if they wanted to get away from the orcs.

They reached the hills a the edge of the valley quickly and scrambled up the rocky slopes, Glorfindel and Elrond pushing Elladan and Elrohir in front of them as the orcs broke through the trees rushing up the rocky slopes after them.

The shale beneath Elladan's feet gave way and he jumped to another rock only for it to give way as well. There was a terrible groaning sound, and the boy shouted as the rocks tumbled down the slope Elladan falling amongst the rubble.

"Elladan!" Elrohir yelled trying to race after his twin, only for Glorfindel to grab him as the rockslide continued on down the hill. The orcs shrieked in terror fleeing once again into the forest as the ground shook beneath their feet.

Elrond tried to run towards the settling rubble too as the last few rocks skittered down the hill, but Glorfindel grabbed him as well as another boulder fell down the hill, one that would have squashed the elven lord if he had attempted to reach his son. The sound of Elrond's cry echoed across the mountains as yet more rubble slid down the mountain. "Elladan!"

* * *

Glorfindel let go when he was certain that the rock slide had finished and both Elrond and Elrohir dashed down to the rubble at the base of the mountain sliding occasionally on the scree and cutting themselves on the sharp rocks. The rock slide had blown up dust and grit which got in their eyes and made it impossible to see as they half ran half fell down to the boulders below. The dust agitated Erlohir's cuts as well and he slipped more than once because of the pain.

"Elladan?" Elrohir called once they reached the rubble grabbing at the rocks closest to where he thought his brother was buried. "Elladan!"

There was a cough from inside the rubble and Elrond called out his son's name.

"Ada...?" The voice was weak, but it made Elrond's heart leap.

"Yes Elladan, it's me," Elrond said calmly. "Are you hurt?"

"My leg hurts," Elladan managed the tone of his voice showing the pain of it and Elrohir knew that he had grimaced. "And my arm... and my head..."

"Don't move!" Elrond called. "Keep still you'll make it worse if you move!"

"It's alright Elladan!" Glorfindel called to the young elf. "We're going to get you out of there!" He turned to Elrond his voice low. "I'm going back to Imladris, this is unstable it could fall in at any moment we need help now."

Elrond nodded. "Take Elrohir with you."

"No!" Elrohir protested. "I'm staying."

"You have to go with Glorfindel," Elrond said firmly.

"No," Elrohir said again. "Ada you know what it is like to have a twin, if anything happens to Elladan and I am not here I'd never forgive myself."

"No, you have to go," Elrond said his voice low as he took Elrohir gently by the shoulders and looked him in the eye. "I nearly lost both of you today and I may yet loose your brother, I will _not _loose you! Now go with Glorfindel."

"No," Elrohir shook his head tears already coming to his eyes. "No Ada, I can't go I have to stay here. I have to help him! I have to!"

"Glorfindel take Elrohir back home," Elrond said brusquely to his friend. Glorfindel stepped forwards to grab Elrohir, but the younger elf moved away.

"Come here Elrohir, it's alright, you can see your mother and we can clean up those wounds," Glorfindel reached forwards again grabbing Elrohir's upper arm and the younger elf cried out in pain as he pressed down too hard on a bruise. Elrohir collapsed against the stones crying softly.

"I have to stay here."

"Please Elrohir," Elrond begged. "Please go with Glorfindel."

"No!" Elrohir said hysterically pulling at the rubble the sharp rocks cutting his hands. He wiped his loose hair out of his face smearing blood and dirt across his forehead.

"Elrohir," the hoarse whisper was his brother. "Go with Glorfindel."

"But I want to stay," Elrohir sobbed.

"Go with Glorfindel 'Ro," Elladan coughed. "I-I'll be fine, trust me."

Elrohir looked around desperately as though searching for a way to get his brother out quickly. "Don't go whilst I'm not here," Elrohir said to his twin. "Do you understand me? Stay awake, you have to... have to meet me again back home alright?"

"Alright," Elladan murmured.

Elrohir turned to his father and hugged him grabbing tight onto the elven lord as though he would never let go. "...love you Ada." He managed before turning to Glorfindel and allowing the elven lord to lead him down the hill.

Elrond stared after him before turning back to the rubble picking up the rocks and moving out them out of the way his mind set on freeing his son. "Elladan," Elrond called. "Keep on talking, try and stay awake."

"I'm tired," Elladan complained his words slurred slightly.

"Don't go to sleep, stay awake." Elrond shouted. "I need you to keep talking, please do that for me."

"A-alright," Elladan said his voice faint. "I'll try."

* * *

Celebrain stood on a balcony watching as the sun slowly began to creep over the horizon staring out at the silhouette of the forest praying that her husband and children would soon appear from its depths. It had been hours, something had defiantly happened, she feared for all of their lives. She just wanted the rest of family back now.

When a figure appeared from the trees her heart sped up a little as she recognized him and who he was carrying. It was Glorfindel and... and Elrohir! (The twins looked nearly exactly the same and yet long experience had taught her to tell them apart, even now she knew who it was). She dashed to the end of the balcony and down the steps, running along the sloping lawn towards the pair.

Glorfindel was carrying the now sleeping elfling for he had been too tired to continue the whole way on foot and had promptly fallen asleep once the Balrog Slayer had begun to carry him.

"Glorfindel!" Celebrain exclaimed rushing over and hugging the child the elf held in his arms kissing the top of the raven haired head. "What happened?" Tears sprang in her eyes when she saw the evil cuts and bruises that marked her son's pale and innocent flesh. "What happened to my baby? Where are Elladan and Elrond?"

"I think we need to get Elrohir inside first," Glorfindel said starting the walk up the sloping lawn to the house.

Celebrain hurried to find a spare room and Glorfindel laid Elrohir down on the bed watching Celebrain sadly for a second as she began to tend to her son's injuries before beginning to speak.

"Elladan and Elrohir were taken by orcs," Glorfindel said his voice breaking the silence in the room. He was tired from the long walk, but he suddenly remembered the need for urgency, still he had to break the news to Celebrain gently.

Celebrain looked at her youngest son with teary eyes; she had bandaged most of the wounds on the younger elf's back and had checked him over a good few times. She had seen the cruel whip marks and was disgusted by them; she would never let those creatures touch her child again.

"I don't know exactly what has happened to them, only they can tell you that, but we rescued them and ran up into the hills," Glorfindel explained to Celebrain as she watched her sleeping child forlornly.

"But where are Elladan and Elrond?" Celebrain asked worriedly thinking the worst. "What has happened to them?"

"As we ran up into the hills there was a rockslide and Elladan was caught in it. He is trapped amongst the rubble Elrond stayed to dig him out." Glorfindel answered standing up. "I should go and get them some help now."

Celebrain nodded too shocked to say anything.

"I will bring them back My Lady," Glorfindel said to the distraught elleth. "They'll be fine."

"I hope so," Celebrain managed as Glorfindel left the room. She looked down at Elrohir then sat on the corner of the bed next to his head, pulling him gently up into her lap and scooting down behind him so that her back rested against the wall, her legs hanging over the edge of the bed. She stroked the young elf's ebony hair tears starting in her eyes. "They'll be alright won't they?" She whispered to the sleeping child. "They'll be alright."

* * *

Elrond barely heard as the other elves as they came up behind him. It had been hours and Elladan had stopped calling to him a long while ago making him even more desperate to reach his son. Tear tracks ran down the elven Lord's dirt and blood covered cheeks.

"Elrond?" Glorfindel asked watching as the elf lord picked up the stones and pushed them aside.

Elrond turned slowly and looked blearily at the other elves who had already begun to help him. Glorfindel came forwards to kneel by his friend's side looking at the elven lord's bloodied hands and dirty face. "Mellon-nín you are tired," Glorfindel said as Elrond started to pull away the rocks again. "Maybe you should rest."

"I will rest when my son is free," Elrond said exhaustedly.

"Alright," Glorfindel said knowing not to argue and helping to move the rocks out of the way.

* * *

Elrohir woke an hour after Glorfindel left, his hearing came first and he thought he heard someone weeping. It was such a terrible sound and he wanted someone to go and comfort the person, why wasn't anyone helping her? And then he realized who it was that was crying. His mother.

He pried his heavy eye lids open, but his vision was blurred and he couldn't see.

"Nana?" He had to say the word twice, his throat initially too sore to get the words out. He knew he was dehydrated from the pounding head ache but that did not really compare to the other aches and pains he could feel.

"Elrohir?" Celebrain asked quietly, wiping away her tears hastily and looking down at her child. Elrohir's eyes had just flickered open and where watching her blearily.

"Yes," Elrohir managed his voice hoarse.

Celebrain quickly moved Elrohir off her lap and climbed off the bed. She laid his head down on the pillows, pulling up a chair and sitting across from her son. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine," Elrohir said he looked away. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Celebrain asked softly.

"For everything," Elrohir said sadly. "For going off the path for thinking that we were old enough to handle everything on our own..." Elrohir didn't say anything about Vilya, he couldn't, he didn't want to see the look on his mother's face.

"All that matters is that you're alright," Celebrain said.

Elrohir smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. He tried to prop himself up in the pillows, but winced as fire shot across his lacerated back. He whimpered softly and Celebrain placed a hand on his shoulder pushing him gently but firmly back onto the bed.

"Don't move," Celebrain said her eyes worried by the pained expression she saw on her son's face. "You need stitches, I could not find a healer, Glorfindel has taken all spare hands out to help your brother."

"Elladan!"

"Yes," Celebrain answered pushing Elrohir back onto the bed once again as Elrohir tried to sit up. "It's alright ion-nín your father is helping Elladan he will be fine. At the moment you are my main concern. Now that you are awake I think I can stitch you up I just needed to check you were alright first."

"Alright," Elrohir said knowing that this would mean he would have to be put back to sleep for his mother to stitch up his wounds. Celebrain had spent so much time helping her husband with his patients that she knew a lot about healing by now and was confident in herself as a healer.

"Do you mind if I leave you for a minute to brew a sedative or do you want me to stay for a while?" When Celebrain got no answer she rose to leave, but stopped immediately when Elrohir's hand shot out to grab her own. Tears were pooling in the younger elf's eyes and he rolled over painfully, burying his face in the pillow sobbing quietly.

"Oh Elrohir," Celebrain said bending down and squeezing the younger elf's hand wishing that she could hug him, but knowing that it would just hurt him more. She had hoped that this wouldn't happen; had hoped from Elrohir's reaction when he first woke, that he had not been hurt so deeply. She couldn't stand the pain these creatures had caused her child. "It's over now," she whispered stroking the young elf's ebony hair. "It's over. I'm here; you're going to be alright."

"I'm not," Elrohir whispered around his sobs. "I can see them so I try to get away... I shut my eyes and the images are still there, o-on the back of my eye lids." Elrohir screwed his eyes tight shut his back heaving. "I-I want them to stop," he whispered. "But th-they won't go away..." His voice broke and he could say no more.

"Ssh, ion-nín," Celebrain soothed still stroking her son's silky hair. "It's alright, the stitches can wait I will not leave you."

"Hannon le," Elrohir whispered his breathing calming a little. "Im meleth-nÍn Nana."

"I love you too Elrohir."

* * *

It had been hours. The sun was nearly at its zenith and there was still no sign of improvement save a large pile of rocks. The boulders had shifted once of twice in the past few hours increasing everyone's worry greatly, they had to get the young elf out and quick! Elladan had not called to his father again and they could not reach the younger elf, although they were getting close, they knew they were, they had to be.

Elrond heaved a stone aside dropping it out of the way and collapsing against the rocks for a moment completely exhausted. Tear tracks ran down his dirty and bloodied face and he thought he might pass out as his head swam, but he wouldn't let himself.

Glorfindel noticed and went over to his friend bending down beside the elven lord. "Elrond please," he begged his friend. "Rest, we will tell you if we find Elladan. You'll kill yourself if you keep this up."

"I can't," Elrond said laboriously pushing himself back up and beginning to shift the rocks again. "I can't rest until I have found him."

Glorfindel looked anxiously at his friend, but began to help again. He had been having the same conversation with Elrond for several hours and knew that he would not sway the elven lord. "Just be careful mellon-nín."

Elrond nodded tiredly and turned back to a large boulder trying desperately to push it out of the way. Glorfindel realized that Elrond would not move the boulder on his own and quickly helped his friend to push it aside.

Once it was moved away the pair of them gasped.

"Elladan."

* * *

_Translation:_

_ion-nín - my son_

_Nana - mum_

_Hannon le - Thank you_

_Im meleth-nín - I love you._

_mellon-nín - my friend_

**_This is a day late my calendar said so, but oh well. Ok so I didn't reach my target in fact I came no where near it the 6 reviews I go, however, are greatly appreciated, thanks! So lots of reviews would be nice hehe. I think there are only one or two more chapters of this left, probably only one._**

_**Please review!**_

_**ElvenHope**_


	4. Chapter 4

Part Four

Once they had shoved the boulder aside and the dust cleared the pair of them gasped.

"Elladan," Elrond said seeing the form of his elder son amongst the rocks.

Glorfindel shouted to the others for help, but Elrond barely heard what the blond Lord had said. Tears were already pooling in his eyes as he saw the state his son was in. There was scarcely any light in the dark space and yet Elrond could still see the thin broken figure of his son in the darkness. Whatever light Elladan gave out was swallowed by the pitch black - if he gave out any light at all, the idea that the boy was no longer living made Elrond's heart twist painfully in his chest.

Elrond was immediatly on his hands and knees crawling through the gap before Glorfindel could stop him. He moved carefully all too aware that if he made one wrong move he could bring the whole rockslide back down on him and his son. When he finally reached Elladan he crouched down next to him trying to evaluate the situation.

The young elf was pinned face down by the rubble and there was a large gash going from his already spilt temple across his forehead, his hair caked in the sticky red substance. As well as that his right arm was twisted back on itself in a bad looking way and Elrond was certaing that his arm was broken. He reached down hesitantly with a shaky hand tracing down Elladan's chin up to his neck praying to Iluvitar that he would find a pulse.

He closed his eyes when he felt nothing, and then there it was, a slight fluttering against his fingertips. It was weak, too weak, but at least it was there. He leant forwards to kiss his son's raven hair. "Thank Eru, oh Elladan your alive, I couldn't ever loose you."

Elrond turned his attention back to the rocks that trapped the youth. He could shift most of them easy enough, but there was one that lay across Elladan's legs which could be a problem.

He began to pull the smaller rocks off his son and passed them to Glorfindel who sat at the entrance, all the while careful not to bring the rocks down on them, or worsen his son's injuries.

The other elves began to work on enlarging the opening and soon Elrond had freed the boy from the rubble. Elladan's leftleg was most certainly broken as well, he had no doubt about that, his leg had already swollen up a fair bit - as had his arm.

Gently, Elrond began to ease the young elf up to the entrance of the hole and eventually pulled the boy out into the daylight. A collective gasp greeted the sight of the young elf and all those who saw the state of Elladan felt their hearts go out to Elrond and his family. No wonder the Elven Lord had been so stressed.

The injuries looked even worse to Elrond in the daylight and as well as that he could now see that the Elladan was caked in the grey dust from the rockslide. New tears had already sprung in Elrond's eyes as he cradled the boy in his lap and for a while no one wished to disturb him.

Eventually Glorfindel knelt at his friend's side, resting a hand on the Elven Lord's shoulder. "We need to get him back home Elrond," he said softly looking at Elladan sadly. "We brought a stretcher out for him."

Elrond looked up and nodded then Glorfindel helped the raven haired elf to lift his son onto the stretcher. Elrond had wanted to help carry the stretcher but Glorfindel insisted that he just walk beside the injured elf, knowing that Elrond was on the verge of collapse and slowly they made their way down the mountain.

* * *

Elrohir had fallen asleep hours ago and yet Celebrian still had not let go of his hand. She had no reason to, it seemed to calm him down every time the nightmares took hold of him she just squeezed his hand and he relaxed again. It hurt her terribly to know that her child was in so much pain and she could offer no more than her prescense as a comfort. She wanted so much to just take away all of his fears. 

The nightmares tore at her heart and she had been brought to tears more than once that night when Elrohir had called out for her in his sleep and begun sobbing until she reassured him that he was safe. She had broken down after that; he had sounded so helpless and so frightened.

Late in the afternoon she heard voices coming up to the house and was tempted to rush to the window to see who it was, but Elrohir's tight grip on her hand stopped her from moving, she would know soon enough if Elladan and Elrond had returned.

She waited for only a short while, her heart pounding wildly in her chest before the door to the healing room she and Elrohir were in opened and Glorfindel walked in followed by two elves bearing a stretcher and finally Elrond.

"Elrond meleth-nin!" She cried when she saw her husband. The Elven Lord didn't look like he normally did, in fact he looked far from it. At first Celebrian was worried that he too was hurt, for there was blood all over his forehead where Elrond had pushed the hair out of his face, but it turned out that it was really only his hands that were damaged from the sharp rocks. The same could be said for Glorfindel and most of the other elves, but Elrond was by far the worst.

The Elven Lord hurried forwards to embrace her neither of them caring about what the condition of her dress would be like afterwards. This day had been far too stressful for both of them, neither knew how much longer they could keep this up.

When they finally pulled apart Celebrian caught one of her husbands hands with her free one looking worridly at the lacerated skin; in some places, mainly his fingertips the Elven Lord had managed to pull a good few layers of skin off. "You're hurt."

"It's nothing," Elrond said pulling his hand away. "Now I must go and help Elladan."

"You will do no such thing," Celebrian snapped. "With hands like that you are not going near either of my sons." Celebrian turned to a young elleth standing in the doorway, who had rushed down to the room after she had seen someone being carried in on a stretcher. "Sila," the Elven Lady said addressing the elleth, "please could you find me a healer, and quickly?"

Sila nodded and hurried off down the hall.

"Celebrian-"

"You need to clean those," Celebrian said gesturing to her husband's hands.

"But-"

"I do not need you to get an infection," Celebrian said her voice firm. "I need you here Elrond."

"Elves don't get ill," Elrond said grinning a little. "Surely you know that."

"Of course I do," Celerbrian said. "You are a peredhil though and suseptable to illness if you are not careful now go and get cleaned up. Besides it is unsanitary."

"But-"

"Go," Celebrian said again she was not giving in, it may be true that Elrond ruled over Imladris, but she most certainly ruled over him in matters such as this.

Elrond stood walking over to the sink in one corner of the room filling the basin with water and slowly placing his hands under the warm water. He had been ready for the stinging pain, but it still hurt more than he had expected. Once the wounds were cleaned he returned to Celebrian's side glancing briefly at Elladan before turning back to his wife her sad expression tearing at his heart.

"Are you alright?" Elrond asked his wife looking at her wan face and troubled eyes.

"Yes," Celebrian sighed heavily. "Your son has been calling for you."

Elrond felt his heart twist painfully in his chest. "Celebrian," he whispered, his voice hoarse from calling to Elladan. He looked away trying not to show her the pain in his eyes. "When I... When I found them..."

Celebrian put a finger to her husband's lips directing his gaze back up to meet hers. "Hush meleth-nin," she said quietly their faces barely inches apart. They stared deep into each others eyes seeing all of the pain and hurt that was in their hearts mirrored in the other's gaze. Finding that he could muster no words Elrond closed the gap between them and kissed her gently loosing himself in that moment, even though it was only a moment and they boke the kiss quickly. They both felt the walls that were closing in on them relent a little knowing that the only thing that could get them through this was the love they all shared for each other. It was a small light in the darkest of places, but it was still there.

Elrond glanced at Elrohir sleeping on the bed then to the small crowd around his eldest son before kneeling down next to Celebrian finally finding that his energy was leaving him. He rested his head in Celebrian's lap and she stroked his hair like she had done for Elrohir. Soon the remainder of the peredhil family were sleeping.

Glorfindel smiled at his friend finally finding peace in the arms of his beloved. It was good that he was resting after two long days without sleep. He turned back to Elladan and grimaced. The young elf had most certainly broken both an arm and leg, but it was neither of these that caused Glorfindel concern. He had a nasty head wound which should have swelled up by now, but it hadn't. It wasn't a good sign. If it hadn't swelled up then it could mean that there was pressure on the brain from either bone fragments, serious fluid or a blood clot. Pressure on the brain would then lead to seizures which in turn could cause respatory or cardiac arrest and maybe even coma or death. This situation was not a very promising one.

For once in his life Glorfindel felt like cursing those who had given him a second chance. It wasn't right. It just wasn't right for one so young to be in a life threatening situation like this. He glared up at the ceiling as though he could see the Valar themselves through it if he stared hard enough. Was it not enough for them to torture the child? Would they take his life as well? And what about Elrond. They had destroyed his friend's life in stealing his parents and brother from him. Could they not spare him the heart ache of loosing his family as well? If Elladan died then it was almost certain that Elrohir would follow him; Celebrian would be taken by grief and either leave for Valinor or die as well. And Elrond would be left here at the end of all things as the grief slowly knawed at his heart. His friend would not leave for the western shores, he had responsibility. He would have to stay if only for them, as an empty shell where once a valiant warrior had been. The thought made the Elven Lord feel ill; how could the Valar be so cruel!

At that moment Nesteron the best healer in the last homely house save Elrond rushed into the room standing beside Glorfindel and checking the boy over as the golden haired elf hurried to explain his condition.

Nesteron stood back and grimaced. "Your suspicions are indeed correct, although I wish they were not." He smiled at Elrond who was still sleeping with his head rested in his wife's lap, propped up against Elrohir's bed. "I wish that Elrond was not such a brilliant teacher, but alas it is not so. At the moment there is little I can do for him. I do not want to do unnessecary and life threatening surgery if it can be helped. At the moment the only sign of pressure on the brain is that his pupils are dialated; if, when he wakes, he shows more symptons then we will have to operate on it, until then that is all we can do for him. We just have to wait until he wakes up."

"If he wakes up," Glorfindel murmered looking at the boys pale face.

Nesteron gave Glorfindel a weak smile which was more of a grimace. "One has to pray at a time like this."

"A great lot of good that will do," Glorfindel spat his temper getting the better of him. "The Valar haven't exactly been on Elrond's side recently."

"They blessed him with two beautiful children," Nesteron reminded him.

"Only to steal them away again," Glorfindel said frostilly. "Along with his wife and everything else he holds dear."

"Glorfindel, _if _that happens then you have every right to be angry, but until then stop your complaining, sometimes a little faith can go a long way." Nesteron said before turning to leave. "Let them rest for now, they need their time alone."

Glorfindel followed glancing back at Elrond and his family one last time. Looking sadly upon the younger elves and sighing softly. Faith? How could one have faith when catastrophe was inevitable. If Elrond's luck continued to be as bad as it always was then things were about to get far worse.

* * *

_They were everywhere, surrounding him, pulling at his hair and ears and then there was pain. It hurt so much the whips felt like fire. He could hear Elladan crying somewhere nearby calling for their parents. Elrohir did the same crying for his Nana and Ada, shouting desperatly for them to save him, but they would not come. Wherever they were they would not come.

* * *

_

Sobbing? Somewhere a child was crying. It was such a sad sound and it pulled at his heart strings unmercifully. Why would no one comfort it? Why would no one help the poor thing? How could anyone be so cruel as to leave it? And then realisation struck home.

It was _his_ child!

Elrond's eyes snapped open.

He sat up quickly gently brushing Celebrian's hand asside and turning to Elrohir. The young elf had lost his mother's hand and was searching for it desperatly. He had managed to tangle himself in the covers and the strain he was putting on his wounds from thrashing about so much was probably only making his nightmare worse and far more realistic.

He reached forwards and caught his son's hands. "Elrohir, it is me, it's Ada."

Elrohir just tried to pull his hands away kicking madly. "Ada where are you? It hurts... It hurts so much..."

"It's alright Elrohir it's me I'm right here," Elrond said trying to soothe the distressed child. "It was just a dream."

"Ada...?" Elrohir asked his eyes fluttering open.

"Yes Elrohir it's me, it's alright," Elrond said pulling the child into his lap and hugging him protectively. "They can't hurt you now, I'm here to protect you."

"They can hurt me though," the young elf whispered. "You can't protect me from nightmares only I can."

Elrond sighed heavily and looked over to where his elder son slept. Elrohir followed his gaze and gasped when he saw his twin.

"Elladan!" He cried trying to pull free of his father's grip.

"Elrohir stay still, you'll hurt yourself," Elrond said still holding onto his son.

"But..."

"Elladan is fine, he is just sleeping at the moment alright," he paused looking at Elrohir. "Now I need to change your bandages the blood is coming through your tunic. Do you want a glass of water? You're probably dehydrated."

Elrohir nodded. "Yes I'm thirsty, thank you Ada."

"I'll be back in a minute," Elrond said laying Elrohir back down on the bed and standing up. "Stay there, your mother is here if you need anyone and I am just down the hall."

"Alright," Elrohir said resting his head on the pillow.

Elrond smiled at his son and left the room walking down the corridor.

As soon as Elrond had gone Elrohir sat up slowly and rather painfully. He swung his legs out of the bed and onto the cold wooden floor standing too fast and having to sit again as spots invaded his vision. He stood again and this time managed to stagger forwards to his brother's bed before collapsing. He pulled himself up to sit on the bed and shook his brother gently.

"'Dan wake up, Dan," he whispered shaking his brother a little harder when he didn't wake. "Elladan please!" Elrohir felt a lump appear in his throat and fougth it back. Why was he being so stupid? Elladan was just sleeping. But then again if he was just sleeping wouldn't he have woken by now? "Elladan?" Elrohir looked at his brother sadly, the nasty gash from when Rorzagh had thrown a rock at him had been bandaged and his right arm and leg had been splinted. His brother's face was pale, too pale and his lips were cracked, his eyes closed. His breath was coming too fast and short as well Elrohir knew that, he knew something was wrong. He may not have been too skilled in the art of healing, but his father was the best healer in probably the whole of Arda, he had picked up some medical knowledge - enough to know his brother was ill.

When Elrond re-entered the room he noticed that Elrohir's bed was empty and panicked, but immediatly looked across to Elladan's bed to see Elrohir sitting perched on the edge of the matress.

"Elrohir," Elrond said quickly placing down the bandages and water carefully on Elrohir's bedside table. "What did I say about staying put?"

"I just wanted to see Elladan," Elrohir said looking at his twin. "But he won't wake up."

Elrond knelt down next to his son. "It's alright Elrohir he'll be fine, now come back over to your bed and let me see to your wounds."

Elrohir nodded and Elrond helped the young elf back over to his bed, sitting Elrohir down then sitting behind his son. He pulled the light shirt the boy was wearing up over his head and inspected the bandages working hard to stay calm. He wanted to kill those who had harmed his son, he already had, but he wanted further revenge, there were things far worse than death.

He took the glass of water from the bedside table and handed it to Elrohir who took it and drank thirstfully.

"Slow down penneth, the water isn't going anywhere," Elrond said catching Elrohir's wrist to stop him from drinking so fast.

Elrohir slowed down, but he was still drinking too fast for Elrond's liking.

Elrohir lowered the glass as it suddenly felt heavy in his hand and Elrond caught it as it slipped from the young elf's fingers setting it down on the table.

The young elf stifled a yawn and rubbed his heavy lidded eyes realizing all too late what his father had done.

"Don't fight it ion-nin let it come." Elrond said supporting Elrohir as he went limp.

"But I don't want..." the young elf managed fighting sleep.

"Ssh," Elrond whispered. "It's alright I need to stitch the wounds on your back. I hope that this time sleep brings you the rest you deserve this time."

* * *

_Sorry for any Sp/g mistakes, I can't remember if I edited it or not._

_Oh and blame the involuntarily romantic bit between Celebrian and Elrond on Savage Garden. I was watching the Final Fantasy X music video for it and well yeah it must have gotten to me seeing as I was listening to it over and over late at night whilst typing lol._

**_Please Review_**

_ElvenHope_


	5. Chapter 5

Part Five

_Warning: Certain elements of this chapter may not be good for younger readers (although I doubt it will be worse than anything that happened so far). I don't want to give anything away, but I feel that a warning is necessary. I spent a short while researching for this chapter, and I must admit that the medical situations in it are not pretty ones. All in all I would say that it is a very terrible thing and I spent ages going over this chapter to get it right, anyone who has the same medical problem is a very brave person and I applaud them for living with such a thing. None of the writing in this chapter is insensetive, as I have said I went over this a lot._

Waking was hard, he didn't want to wake up he wanted to stay asleep, sleeping was better; waking was painful. "Ada?" He asked as feeling came back he prayed that his father had found him, prayed that he was no longer stuck in the darkness trapped and alone. His right arm and leg were still stiff and he couldn't move them properly, but he could move them more than before; and the ground beneath him; it wasn't as hard as it had been before. He reached his left hand out slightly and grasped a fistful of the material beneath him, it was soft. He in a bed, which had to mean he was home. He tried to pull himself back into the waking world, but it hurt so much and he found he was loosing the willpower. "Ada?"

Elrond was at his son's side in seconds, he hadn't slept since Elrohir had woken him watching over his family, along with Glorfindel who had come to check on them a little after sunrise.

"Elladan?" the Elf Lord asked reaching for the young elf's uninjured hand under the covers and brushing some of the raven hair out of his son's face. "How are you feeling ion-nin?"

Elladan prised his eyes open, "Ada?"

"Yes, Elladan how are you feeling?" Elrond asked worridley fighting the urge to enbrace his son. Elladan tried to sit up despite how tired he was, but Elrond stopped him from doing so. "You've broken an arm and leg and have a nasty head wound. Now this is important Elladan, I need to know how you are feeling."

Elladan looked worridley at Glorfindel and his father glancing from one to the other, their expressions did not help his tired and confused mind. He tried to fight the headache that was swiftly taking over wondering what could concern his father so much. "Ada what happened? What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing," Elrond said softly trying to calm his son. "Just answer a few simple questions for me please."

Elladan nodded, but stopped when the movement made the room spin. "Alright."

Elrond stood up leaning over Elladan to check his pupil responces. "Do you feel lightheaded?" He asked his son grimacing, Elladan's pupils were dialated at different sizes, not a good sign.

"A little," Elladan said. "I only just woke up, I'm not sure really." He yawned.

Elrond looked at him raising an inqusitive eyebrow. "Are you tired?"

Elladan nodded then stopped rasing his uninjured hand to his bandaged forehead. "And my head hurts." He paused. "Can I sit up?"

Elrond looked at him concerned for a moment contemplating what to do then nodded. "Alright Glorfindel can you help me please?" Glorfindel moved around to the other side of the bed and helped Elrond to ease Elladan up. The young elf whimpered in pain, but bit his lip, he had become good at that, hiding the fact that he was hurting. Elrond saw it though and hated that his son was in so much pain and that hiding it seemed to be an almost natural reflex. Elladan lurched forwards suddenly clutching at his stomach with his free hand to try and calm it, his face contorted as bile rose up his throat. "Ada I think I'm going to be sick." He said quietly, the warning far too brief before he vommited. Elrond grabbed a bowl and held it out for his son as Glorfindel held back the young elf's hair.

"Finished?" Elrond asked quietly worried. Nausea was another sign that Elladan did indeed have pressure on the brain - Glorfindel had filled him in on what Nesteron had deduced whilst the Elven Lord had been sleeping. Despite how much Elrond had wished it wasn't the truth he knew that it was a conclusion they had to take into account.

Elladan nodded, as Glorfindel took the bowl from Elrond and washed it in the sink. Elrond helped his son to sit comfortably making sure that the boy's stomach and head were causing him the least amount of pain possible. He handed the boy a drink of water and had to take it away shortly after to stop him from making himself sick again.

Elladan looked around then, his confused mind taking in his surroundings for the first time, and noticed his mother and brother still sleeping across the room. "Nana! Elrohir!"

The sound was enough to wake both of the slumbering elves and Elrond had to stop Elladan as he tried to climb out of the bed.

Celebrian blinked slightly then turned to face Elrond and the beaming Elladan.

"Elladan!" Elrohir exclaimed also trying to get out of his bed.

Celebrian grabbed him and made him lay back down, no matter how much Elrohir protested that he was alright. Elrond went over to check Elrohir's wounds were healing whilst Celebrian rushed over to her eldest son, embracing him gently, careful of the scars that she knew were hidden under the light shirt and bandages he wore. She kissed his raven head and then held him back looking at him tears already coming to her bright blue eyes. "Oh my boy, my precious little boy, you're alright."

Elladan felt tears sting his eyes as well and nodded silently. "Nana," was all he could manage before bursting into tears and Celebrian hugged him even tighter still aware of his wounds as Elladan clung to her as though he would never let go.

"It's alright, it's alright, your father and I will protect you," Celebrain whispered her heart twisting painfully in her chest as she held her son. This wasn't right, the same rage from when she had seen Elrohir bubbled through her. How dare these creatures do this? How dare they!

"Nana," Elladan whispered. "I don't feel good, I think... I think I need to lie back down..."

Celebrian lay her son back down as Elladan tried to stop his head from spinning and concentrated hard on staying awake.

Elrohir watched his father as he came over suddenly remembering what the elder elf had done to him the night before. "You drugged me!" he accused his father folding his arms across his chest. "Adar drugged me!"

Glorfindel laughed at the look on Elrohir's face. "Yes your father has a way of slipping sleeping herbs into his patients drinks."

"But I had just woken up," Elrohir said looking at his father crossly. "I didn't want to sleep, I was having a bad dream..." his words trailed off and he looked at his father sadly.

Elrond gave the boy a reassuring smile and stroked some raven hair from his face. "I am sorry ion-nin but I needed to drug you in order to stitch up those wounds if I had tried to do it whilst you were asleep you would have woken."

"I understand," Elrohir said. "But you could have told me."

"Your father is sneaky when he wants to be," Glorfindel said. "Believe me though, you do _not _want to be awake through stitches. It hurts like hell."

"Worse than a Balrog's whip?" Elrohir asked raising an eyebrow and mimicking his father.

"No, but you have to have a high pain threshold," the golden haired elf said.

Elrohir looked down slowly he had spoken so lightly before about pain, about a whip. He didn't know why, but all of a sudden his mouth went dry and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. He nodded his head numbly and the elder elves could see that something was wrong.

"Your bandages need changing," Elrond said quietly. "I'll just go and get some fresh ones."

Elrond looked up from Elrohir worridely. Elladan was not in a good state, he had prayed that his son would show every sign of healing, but apparently it was not so.

"Celebrian," the Elven Lord said to his wife who was stroking the boy's jet black hair as Elladan seemed to be falling back into his dreams, his eyes barely open. "I need to go and fetch some bandages, both Elrohir and Elladan's need changing, will you all be alright here?"

"We will be fine," Celebrian said managing a smile as Elrond left. Elrond glanced at Glorfindel who nodded in agreement and left the room quickly.

"Nana," Elladan whispered. "My head, it hurts."

"It's alright," Celebrian whispered. "You'll get better." She looked at her son worridley Elladan's eyes had just shifted and gone blank as he began to stare straight in front of him. "Elladan?"

Elladan did not respond, but continued to stare his mouth making a slow chewing movement as his hand rose to pick absently at the collar of his shirt.

"Elladan?" Celebrian asked waving her hand in front of her son's face to get his attention only to be greeted by a pained cry. "Elladan what's the matter?" Celebrian asked frightened as Elladan's eyes rolled back into his head. The young elf went rigid suddenly and his breathing ceased, his lips and face beginning to turn blue. "Glorfindel help!" Celebrian cried terrified. "He's not breathing!"

"What?" Both Glorfindel and Elrohir exclaimed the latter climbing out of his bed and rushing over, having to use the wall for support when he finally reached Elladan's bed.

"Elrond!" Glorfindel yelled looking at the rigid way the boy was lying. "Elrond!"

The Elven Lord raced into the room having already heard his wife's cries, his heart pounding and dropped everything he was carrying when he saw Elladan begin to convulse madly on the bed. Glorfindel was holding the young elf down which was only making Elladan's condition worse.

"Glorfindel don't restrain him, help me get him on the floor, now!" Elrond shouted trying to lift Elladan off the bed as Glorfindel helped him. Celebrian and Elrohir watched in horror the younger elf clinging to his mother his wide eyes not once leaving his fitting brother.

Once they had him on the floor Elrond rolled Elladan onto his side, something which was quite hard to do as hs son was jerking wildly and crying uncontrollably - not to mention the fact that he had two broken limbs (luckily they were both on the same side of his body). The Elven Lord loosened the collar of his son's shirt, tears in his eyes at the state Elladan was in. He was having a seizure, it was definate that he had pressure on the brain then, it had to be, there was still a large chance that his son was going to die. He wanted to break down, but he knew he couldn't, he had to help Elladan. The wild jerking had probably caused the youth to rip the stitches on his back and Elrond could already see the blood soaking through the young elf's tunic as the wounds were reopened. It was not helping his broken limbs either and Elrond just prayed that his son didn't damage himself.

It was terrible, terrible to watch your child go through something like that something no one had any control over something that you just had to wait out. Elrond knew the tears pouring down his son's cheeks were not from pain, they were just a side affect of the seizure, but it still tore at his heart to see the boy writing on the floor like that. He glanced at Celebrian who now had her eyes closed as did Elrohir, or Elrond guessed he did, the younger elf had his head burried in his mother's shoulder, his back heaving.

He watched sadly as the seizure went into the tonic stage again and Elladan went rigid saliva and blood dripping from his open mouth. The youth had most likely bitten his tongue and the inside of his cheeks during the clonic part of the seizure causing them to bleed.

Elrond's heart seized painfully in his chest as he realized that his son had stopped breathing again. His lips were returning to the blue colour they had before and his eyes were now closed. Elrond grabbed the younger elf by the shoulders rolling him back over onto his bloodied back his heart pounding wildly. He pulled back his son's head, until the neck was arched, making sure that the airway was clear then moved down to the boy's chest placing his hands one on top of the other.

"Glorfindel can you breathe for him?" Elrond asked quickly already counting and pressing down on his son's still chest, his mind reeling. This could not be happening. Elladan could not die. So many lives now rested on the young elf surviving and every occupant in the room new it. Elrond stopped, waiting as Glorfindel pinched Elladan's nose so that none of the life saving breath could escape blew and breath into the lax mouth before reaching down for the pulse point at the boy's throat. The golden haired elf shook his head and they were off again.

"One two three," Elrond said counting each time he pressed down on his son's chest and then waiting for Glorfindel to breathe air into the static lungs and check his pulse. Again there was nothing and the pair of them went back to what they were doing.

Elrohir's grip upon his mother tightened considerably - in fact he was clinging to her so tightly that the Elven Lady would have been pained by it if it were not for the fact that her slightly elder son's life was standing on the edge of a knife. Elrohir could feel his brother leaving him, he could feel the light that was his twin slipping away and he had no real idea that he was hurting his mother, or that he was sobbing as though his soul had been torn from him. It took him a moment to realize that it was he himself screaming for his brother to return to them and that the only thing stopping him from diving towards Elladan was his mother restraining him.

Celebrian held her son tightly by the wrists with one hand using her other one to turn the youth's face to her and hold it there. She was lucky that Elrohir was too frantic to see that he could overpower her whilst only one of her hands was holding two of his.

"Look at me Elrohir," she said to the hysterical child as Elrohir tried to pull his head back around to look at his brother. Celebrian did not want her son to see his brother die, she knew he could feel it, and knew that was the worst thing in the world for him, but she felt that somehow this had to help him. He could not see Elladan die even though he had in fact alreay died depending on how one looked at things, after all did someone die when they had taken their last breath, or when everyone else knew the person was beyond resesitation? She did not want to think about it, if such a thing was true then Elladan had already died and it was only by sheer luck that the clonic part of the seizure allowed him to breathe again.

"Elladan!" Elrohir cried his voice muffled by sobs. This was worse than anything he had experienced so far, worse than being tortured by orcs, worse than leaving his brother in that land slide, worse than seeing the pain and sadness in the eyes of his parents. His brother was leaving him, he was dying, Elladan was dying and he couldn't even see what was happening! He wanted to help, he wanted his brother back, he needed his brother back. He needed Elladan!

Elrohir finally pulled his head free, but Celebrian grabbed him, pulling him into a tight, yet gentle, embrace. "Do not look my child," she whispered forcing Elrohir to rest his head on her shoulder nearest to the wall. "Do not watch, you do not want to see such a thing."

Elrohir just cried into his mother's shoulder too exhausted by the pain in his heart to try and pull away anymore, he felt like he was dying too, he felt like his life was leaving him.

"Come on Elladan," Glorfindel said through gritted teeth as he waited for Elrond to count again. "Don't give up now you're stronger than this."

After another five attempts and no success Glorfindel looked at his friend worridely as Elrond began to press down on the boy's chest again. "Elrond mellon-nin, he has gone."

"No," Elrond hissed.

"There is no use-"

"One last time Glorfindel, just one last time," Elrond said reaching three and looking at his friend pleadingly his eyes shining with tears. Glorfindel nodded and bowed his head again hoping that he could give Elladan the breath of life he so truly deserved. Glorfindel's fingers reached for the pulse point heart racing. He looked up at Elrond and gave a small jerky not to say that there was a pulse disbelief clear in his eyes as Elladan took a shaky breath. Glorfindel kept his fingers on the fluttery pulse praying for it to continue.

Elrond leant back against the bed feeling shaky as the adrenaline left him, but keeping himself from passing out - if this happened again he had to be there, every time Elladan suffered anoxia there was the risk he would become brain damaged. The thought that the boy's charm and intellect may be lost forever made Elrond's blood run cold. He looked across at his wife and younger son who were still clutching each other tightly unable to move, although Celebrian had turned teary eyes on Elladan whilst Elrohir still sobbed brokenly.

"We should get hm back on to the bed," Elrond said tearing his eyes away from his distraught child and wife trying to shake the terrible sound of Elrohir's sobs from his mind. He knew what Elrohir was feeling, he knew it all too clearly, he remembered the same feeling when Elros had died and when they had parted ways he remembered how deep it had stung, how it had threatened to claim him as well. He moved numbly to support his son's upper body as Glorfindel lifted his lower body. They rested the boy gently back down on the bed and made sure he was comfortable and that his arm and leg were supported properly. Elrond kissed his son on the forehead brushing some of the raven hair from his face sweat covered before collapsing in a chair too exhausted to even notice Celebrian and Elrohir.

"Ada?" the shaking - barely audiable voice made him look up at Elrohir who was peering at his twin from his mother's arms trying to control the hiccuping gasps for air that usually accompanied hysterical tears. "What... what...?"

"He had a seizure Elrohir, the head injury is very bad, he needs surgery," Elrond was honest with his son, too tired to move or think straight. Elrohir was not stupid anyway, he had seen what had just happened, he had to know that something was terribly amiss.

"Will he die?" Elrohir asked tears running in rivulets down his cheeks.

Elrond met Celebrian's shining eyes at that question and swallowed hard blinking back tears of his own. "I don't know Elrohir," the elven lord said moving to hold his head in his hands. "I don't know what's going to happen."

Glorfindel sat down on Elrohir's bed everything suddenly sinking in as the younger twin began to cry again. Celebrian just looked at the elder of the two boys lying still on the bed, too distraught to speak or even move and Elrond sat in the chair with his head in his hands wondering how on earth they were going to get through this. It seemed like an impossible thing to get around, it seemed as though the world would never stop spinning. He had had to resesitate his own son! His son who was still young enough to be classed as an elfling! This wasn't right , it wasn't right at all.

* * *

_Note: The type of seizure I described in this chapter is a tonic-clonic seizure which, in this instance, goes in the pattern tonic-clonic-tonic. I had to use the first symptoms of a complex partial seizure seeing as that was the only type of seizure I could find out the first symptoms of. If anyone is interested in epilepsy and/or seizures google should provide all the answers. Kudos to all those who live with such a terrible thing (and I don't mean the candy bar I mean the greek word)._

_Once again I apologise for sp/grammar mistakes, my laptop doesn't have a spellchecker and my sister hogs the other pc so as much as I'd like to wait, I decided that seeing as I've read through this a good ten times hopefully I will have picked up the mistakes._

_**Please review!**_

_-ElvenHope-_


	6. Chapter 6

Part Six

"We have to do something Elrond."

Elrond was pacing the room like a tiger caught in a cage his brows furrowed in an angry scowl - although the anger was only directed at his own confused state of mind - and his eyes looked as though they would burn through the wooden floor. He stopped pacing suddenly and stood leaning over his desk hands rested on the mahogany wood, palms flat glaring out the window behind his chair - his back to the other two elves in the room.

"What do you suggest Nesteron?" Elrond asked flicking his blazing eyes across the landscape before him. If he really could burn anything with his gaze the whole of Imladris would be a charred black and burnt wasteland by now.

Nesteron looked up leveling Elrond's gaze with his own dark one as the Elven Lord turned to look at him. "We need to operate."

"If we operate on Elladan then he is going to die," Elrond whispered. "I will not allow that, I cannot, the fate of my whole family depends on him."

"Would you rather that he is brain damaged for the rest of his life," Glorfindel hissed from where he stood leant against a window ledge, thin arms across his chest. He was wondering if Elrond needed his head examining. "Would you rather that he's kept in bed and we end up fighting for his life every couple of days whilst his brother watches? Elladan will be brain damaged and Elrohir will be warped by the experience. You will keep them both silent in their rooms so that no one can see what they have become and soon they will be so confused by it all that even you will not wish to lay eyes on them because they humiliate you so. Is that really what you want Elrond? Because that is what is going to happen if you keep on going on like this!"

Elrond spun around, lightning fast and if looks could kill Glorfindel would have been fatally wounded. "Don't you ever dare to think that I would do that to them Glorfindel!" Elrond actually growled at the other elf advancing on him. "Don't you dare," he spat reaching the Elven Lord where he was standing. "If you ever _even _suggest that I would do such a thing I will rip you into shreds."

"That is what you are doing though Elrond don't you see?" Glorfindel asked drawing himself up to his full height. "You cannot refuse Elladan that operation if you do he won't get better. He will have continuous fits, the seizures will get worse and he _will _die."

"The operation has never been preformed successfully before - and even if he survives it then there will still be a risk of brain damage," Elrond looked away his anger subsiding. "I hate to think that I could loose him in either way, but at least having him here is better than not having him at all."

"Elrond you will only be killing him slowly," Glorfindel whispered. "In the end it will do no good."

"He is right Elrond," Nesteron agreed.

"But there are drugs he can take to prevent the seizures," Elrond argued.

"And you know the side affects of them," Nesteron pointed out.

"But he wouldn't die," Elrond looked earnestly at the pair of them.

"No he'd just be miserable for the rest of his life," Glorfindel said. "You cannot do it to him he mares well be brain damaged if you put him on drugs."

"But he'd live," Elrond whispered resigned. "I will ask Celebrian," he decided. "She will know what is best."

* * *

Celebrian smiled at her sons. Elrohir had fallen asleep in the chair next to Elladan's bed, clutching his uninjured arm. He had refused to move after what had happened and Celebrian admired his determination. She closed her eyes briefly in order to hold back tears. Elrohir had cried himself to sleep. Her children were hurting and there was nothing she could do about it. She wished that they were smaller again, back then she would have been able to take the pain away with a few hugs and kisses - and back then the only pain either of them would have felt would have been a grazed knee or a nasty bruise.

The door opened suddenly and Celebrian looked up to see Elrond.

"How are they?" Elrond asked moving to stand next to Celebrian.

"Elrohir fell asleep a little while ago," she sighed. "I don't know about Elladan."

Elrond bit his lip. "Celebrian..."

She turned her ice blue eyes on him. "What?"

Elrond bent down next to her. "Elladan needs an operation if he is ever going to get better."

"Well then do it," Celebrian said quickly. "What are you waiting for?"

"It's not that simple," Elrond answered. "There's a large chance he will die."

"Valar," she whispered. Celebrian silently raised a hand to her lips tears coming to her eyes as she looked at Elladan.

"But if we do not operate on him we have to deal with these seizures," Elrond warned. "He will probably become brain damaged if this continues, the chances are he will go into arrest again and we will not be able to resuscitate him before the damage is done."

"What are we going to do?" Celebrian asked looking up at her husband. "What do you think we should do Elrond?"

Elrond pulled up a chair and sat down - he knew this was going to take a long while. "I know not," the Elven Lord answered. "I was hoping you would know."

"How am I to know?" Celebrian asked quizzically. "You are the one who studies healing Elrond."

"Honestly," Elrond said looking across at the sleeping children. "I do not want to do the operation. I do not want to loose our son that way. I do not want to loose Elrohir and you to grief, but I know that if Elladan died then that is what will happen. At least this way he stays alive."

Celebrian swallowed hard. "I would not leave you meleth, do you not know that?"

Elrond shook his head. "You say that now, but when faced with the deaths of your sons I fear that the answer would be different." He sighed. "Celebrian I cannot make this decision on my own."

"I know," she whispered. "But, I can't either. It's so hard. How are we to choose? If he dies then Elrohir will die. But if he lives then he will most likely die anyway - or at least become brain damaged." She looked at her husband. "Is there a way to prevent the seizures?"

"Only by drugging him, which may not work and will most certainly not be good for him," Elrond looked away. "I do not know what to do."

"There is really only one choice," Celebrian said after a short uncomfortable silence. "You have to operate on him. We have to try and save him even if the chances are slim."

"That is what you want?" Elrond asked quietly. He had to know - whatever Celebrian's decision was he would agree with. He was not sure why, he was not sure whether it was so that he could blame someone else afterwards if the operation went wrong, despite how petty an act that would be. Or maybe if he just needed to trust fate for once as he knew Celebrian did.

Celebrian hesitated. "Only if you do."

"Celebrian I..." Elrond felt like yelling at her and tearing the whole place down and he wasn't entirely sure why. They were just going round and round in circles and it was not helping anyone. He paused taking a deep breath - if they did not decide soon there would only be one answer. "Alright, we will operate on him - I just wish that we could wait until he wakes up, I would hate to loose him without..."

"Loose who?"

Both Elrond and Celebrian's heads snapped round to see that Elladan's eyes were open and that the boy was looking at them blearily.

"No one," Elrond answered quickly. "It's alright ion-nin." The elder elf smiled at his son then looked at Celebrian. "I must go and consult Nesteron - I will be back soon," with that Elrond swept out of the room, not once looking at his son.

"Nana?" Elladan was confused. Why had his father left in such a rush? Did he not want to see him? Elladan couldn't remember anything that had happened - his head hurt too much. "Did I... did I pass out?" The younger elf asked turning to look at his brother and then back to his mother. "Nana?"

Celebrian shook herself inwardly dispersing all morbid thoughts from her mind. "Yes Elladan," she nodded slowly. "Yes you did."

Elladan tried to sit up, but Celebrian pushed the boy back down into the mattress glad that at least Elladan had not had to be awake whilst having the seizure. He did not remember it - that was good, it would just be hard to tell him. If they were going to tell him. She wondered what Elrond would do. Elladan had every right to know, but if it would just distress him further then maybe he shouldn't know - and then there was Elrohir...

"Did I frighten you?" Elladan asked trying to read the expression on his mother's face. He did not see simply one emotion there, he saw a maelstrom of feelings and none of them were good. Fear, worry, sadness - not even a glimmer of happiness that he was awake; something told him she was hiding something.

"Pardon?" Celebrian asked, her mind drifted back to the sight of her son fitting on the floor and then of the lifeless body that had had to be resuscitated. She shook her head quickly before Elladan could ask again. "Well yes, but not too much - it is alright Elladan."

"What is alright?" Elladan asked. "Nana you are not making sense. There is something the matter. I can tell."

"Nothing is wrong penneth," Celebrian tried to reassure her son, her mind racing.

"Elrohir has been crying," Elladan noticed the idea that his twin had been upset stinging him to the core. He could still see the tear tracks running down Elrohir's cheeks and it worried him. "Why was he crying?"

This was getting to be too much for Celebrian. Why did Elladan have to be so observant? Why couldn't everything just be straight forward? Was it not enough that her sons' had been tortured at the hands of orcs? Was it not enough that Elladan had been caught in a rockslide? No, obviously, it was not. They had to be tortured further before they could all be relieved of the pain - even if that relief was death.

She felt like weeping, she knew she had to be strong for her children, but she did not know how much more of this she could take.

"He was worried," she answered - that was truth enough, was it not?

"About me?"

"Yes."

"Please tell me what is wrong Nana," Elladan begged her pleading with silver grey eyes.

Celebrian heard footsteps coming down the hall and knew that Elrond and Nesteron had returned. She bent forwards quickly and kissed the boys alabaster forehead. "I love you Elladan," she whispered as the door opened and the two healers walked in, followed by Glorfindel.

"What is going on?" Elladan asked confused by his mother's actions looking up at his father. "Please would someone tell me?"

Elrond sighed and knelt down in front of his son looking him in the eye. "I just want you to know that love you ion-nin," Elrond said seriously. "Now please would you drink this for me?" He asked holding up a glass of water for the boy.

Elladan looked at the glass, but didn't take it. "What is going on!"

"Drink this for me please Elladan," Elrond repeated.

"What is going on?" Elladan demanded again. "Please just tell me!"

The distressed youth had woken Elrohir and now he sat bolt upright, regardless of the pain the movement caused his back. "Elladan?"

"Elrohir," Elladan looked round at his brother trying once again to sit up, only this time to be held down by his father.

"Elladan!" The young elf had practically leapt onto his brother - hugging him fiercely - before anyone could prevent him from doing so. "I was so worried!" Elladan hugged him back, despite how feeble the attempt was - he could not move his right arm and his left felt considerably weak.

"Why were you worried?" Elladan asked. This time the question was not out of confusion, but the knowledge that his brother would answer properly, unlike both of his parents.

Elrohir hesitated feeling tears sting his eyes at the memory. "You had a fit," the young elf whispered before either of his parents could stop him. Elrohir let go looking back at the elder elves, his eyes flicking between both of his parents. "You did not tell him?"

"I-I had a... a fit?" Elladan's face seemed to have drained of colour and his eyes were panicked. "Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded of his parents. "What is the matter with me?"

"I am sorry," Elrond apologised. "Your mother and I did not want to frighten you unnecessarily. Now please drink this."

Elladan held out his hand for the glass suddenly realizing how thirsty he was, but Elrohir swiped his hand away before his twin could touch the glass his father was holding.

"No," Elrohir said quickly. "Do not drink it! He has put sleeping herbs in it."

Everyone looked at Elrohir startled, save Elrond who looked as though he was contemplating gagging the young elf before he could say anything else that would give away their plans. Instead he simply clenched his jaw for a few seconds as an uncomfortable silence reverberated around the room before shaking his head slowly.

"Elladan trust me there is nothing in this other than water," Elrond said serenely holding out the glass. "Please, take it."

"How can I trust you?" Elladan hissed confused and frightened. "You lied to me - Elrohir hasn't, I trust him more than you at the moment."

"Elladan please," Elrond said wishing that Elrohir had stayed asleep. This day was stressful enough as it was they didn't need Elladan hurting himself.

"No," Elladan shook his head turning back to his twin who was now sitting back in his chair, occasionally shooting dark looks at his parents. Celebrian was saddened by the look of hurt on the elder twin's face and wished now that they had just been honest with him from the beginning. Nesteron and Glorfindel watched from a safe distance knowing better than to intervene. Elladan could be quite fierce when he was cross or agitated and Elrohir would defend his brother against anyone, even his parents.

Celebrian sat back in her chair as Elrond straightened up placing the glass down on the bedside table.

"Elrohir, it is time that your bandages were changed," the Elven Lord said stiffly moving round the bed towards the young elf. This was not going well. Elrohir looked like he would attack anyone that came near him or Elladan and Elrond was wary of him, despite the fact that it was his own son, and that the boy was injured. Elrohir's eyes flashed dangerously as the Elven Lord took another step further and he suddenly realized how much this meant to the boy. He would have been surprised if that was not the same face that both the twins had worn when the orcs had come near either of them.

Elrond's guess was right; Elrohir could feel the same terror that he and his twin were going to be separated coursing through his veins. He would never allow that - never again. _But this is stupid,_ he chastised himself_, I am petrified of my own father._

Yet he could not help himself as he rose in his chair ready to defend Elladan. It seemed to be an automatic reflex, he couldn't stop himself. He felt like bearing his teeth and growling at his own father - despite how bizarre a reaction that would have been even to an orc.

An orc, however, would have laughed at the pathetic look of determination on Elrohir's face, but all those present in the room - save Elladan - felt their hearts go out to the boy, especially his parents. Elrond did not want to have to wrestle his son out of the room, but it was looking like he would have little choice in the matter. This was stupid, he was an excellent diplomat, and yet he could find nothing to say to the boy that would convince him to leave his twin. Fortunately for him, it seemed that Celebrian could.

"Elrohir," the Elven Lady whispered tears shining in her eyes. "We don't want to hurt you or your brother, we are your parents."

"You will take me away from him," Elrohir snapped. "You will take me away and I may never see him again. I will not let you."

"But we love you ion-nin, we would never do anything to hurt you," Celebrian whispered. "Elrohir please, look at me."

Elrohir's gaze shifted to his mother for a moment, before flicking quickly back to his father as he moved forwards.

"Elrohir please," Elrond pleaded. "I know what it feels like, I know how important Elladan is to you, but we don't want to hurt either of you. Now please, Glorfindel and Nana will go with you whilst I see to Elladan."

"No!" The young elf shouted rising to his feet wincing as pain exploded in his back. He staggered slightly, but held his ground.

"Elrohir, I do not want to have to, but if you do not leave I will carry you out of this room myself," Elrond said hoping that Nesteron and Glorfindel were not noting how bad his parenting techniques seemed to be. In truth though, he had never come across this sort of situation before, his son's had been scared by the trauma and Elrohir had especially, it seemed. They were normally not this misbehaved, cheeky, yes, but never this defiant - and if he had ever had to pick either of the twins to be the rebel he would have betted on Elladan. Elrohir was the more bookish of the pair, the one that thought everything through whereas Elladan would rush in all guns blazing. This wasn't right, none of it was right, this whole situation was wrong, wrong, wrong.

Celebrian had obviously had enough, tears were sliding down her cheeks which she desperately tried to wipe away. Elladan was simply staring at his twin brother, occasionally sparing a worried glance at the adults in the room, although what he was worried about Elrond did not know.

"I'm not leaving," Elrohir hissed, his silver eyes narrowing.

Elrond closed his eyes briefly and sighed. "Very well then." He reached out grabbing his son's upper arm; his finger's coming too close to bruises that marred his alabaster skin. Elrond had not grabbed the young elf's wrists for both were bandaged to try and heal the severe rope burns faster - but the bruises on his arms had not been tended to and the thought had slipped Elrond's mind as the Elven Lord began to come to the end of his rope.

Elrohir cried out his knees buckling beneath him, just managing to grab the bed for support and Elrond let go quickly. The youth tried to rise again, but he was too warn out and suddenly realized that he was shaking from the adrenaline rush, his energy leaving him as quickly as it had come.

He sat helplessly at his father's feet tears spilling down his cheeks and Elrond felt like kicking himself. How could he have been so stupid? He screwed his eyes tight shut, his son was crying and it was his fault. Tears sprang in the Elven Lord's eyes and before he knew it he too was on the floor weeping with the rest of his family.

"I'm so sorry," Elrond whispered. "Elrohir please forgive me."

Glorfindel and Nesteron stood where they were unable to move. The site was such a sad one it broke their hearts, even Elladan too was crying now, and it was a terribly lachrymose sound. A whole family weeping over some cruel joke of the Valar's, something that none of them understood. Once again Glorfindel felt that this whole situation was not right that everything was terribly wrong. Elladan and Elrohir did not even understand what was happening to them, what had happened to them. They had changed, that was already evident from Elrohir's outburst earlier. Glorfindel almost wanted to send all of them off to the Havens now, true, they had not suffered any real grief yet, but their family was falling apart and if Elladan died then they would never be together again.

Elrond's back was the first to stop heaving and as the harsh drawn in gasps between sobs became quieter he gathered Elrohir into his arms and sat down in the chair with him rocking the boy gently. Elrohir clung to his father tightly burying his head in his shoulder mumbling apologies for his behavior which Elrond quickly quietened.

Nesteron turned to Glorfindel who was still standing rigid where he was, unable to move and gently prodded and poked him out of the room leaving the family to be on their own.

"Please tell me what is going on," Elladan begged his voice now more frightened than anything. He looked at his mother who was watching him with shining blue eyes. He hazarded a guess; "Am I going to die?"

Celebrian let out a harsh sob at the question and realization struck home for Elladan. The young elf swallowed hard flicking his gaze across to his father. "Ada, am I going to die?"

Elrond looked up wondering how to word the answer. "Elladan," he sighed heavily, "there is a very hard decision that needs to be made and I fear that it is up to you." He paused. "The injury you had to your head from the landslide caused pressure to be put on your brain. It is a very serious injury; if it is not treated then you will continue to have seizures and could well become brain damaged. The operation to stop the seizures is a very difficult one and... there is only a slim chance that... that you will pull through."

Tears shone in all of their eyes and Elrond wished that he did not have to be the one to tell his son this. "It is up to you Elladan, what do you want to do?"

Elladan felt like he was going to be sick, he had a choice between a life threatening operation or being mentally retarded, how was he supposed to decide? Then an idea came to him and although the thought was a terrible one, somehow it seemed to be the only way out. The words were barely a whisper, but they were still audible to everyone present in the room.

"I wish to sail."

* * *

_Another chapter –- I've become really lax with my updating for some reason –- possibly because I've been going over my original work, that and honing my artistic side. Hopefully everything will get back to normal soon. I actually dislike this chapter very much, there are times when you can see what you are writing in your head and others when everything is blurry –- this is a very blurry chapter. Reviews are appreciated hopefully they will get me to update faster. _

**_Please Review!_**

_ElvenHope_


	7. Chapter 7

Part Seven

None of them had expected that decision, anything but that. Celebrian burried her head in her hands, the idea bringing her to tears and Elorhir screwed his eyes closed as though he were trying to shut out what his brother had just said. Elrond couldn't bring himself to say anything the idea had flittered through his mind earlier, but he had shut the thought out. Elladan was strong, he never gave up this easily.

"I don't want to die," Elladan whispered when no one spoke. "Don't you understand? If I die I will never see you again."

Elrond swallowed hard stroking Elrohir's hair as he started to cry again wondering idly how the boy could have any tears left. Once again Elrond's words ran dry and he just stared at Elladan wordlessly. There had to be another way, there had to be.

"Elladan," the Elven Lord finally managed. "Elladan you can't..."

"I wish there was another way," Elladan said managing to sit up this time without either of his parents stopping him. He winced as his back stang and his leg moved, making him bite his lip to stop himself crying out. Elrond noticed the pained expression, but at the moment he didn't have the heart to move Elrohir, and besides, Elladan would only protest. "I don't want to go to Mandos' halls, I want to be with you, and even if that means having to wait at least I know that eventually I will be with you again." Elladan felt tears sting his eyes as he spoke, how could this be happening? He knew that there was something very wrong here, he hadn't suffered any great berivment, it was only a bad knock to the head, he shouldn't be making this decision at all. But when faced with the choice of either the glittering shores of Valinor or the darkness of Mandos' halls the decision was an easy one. How could he hope to survive an operation that had never before been sucessful?

"Elladan," Celebrian whispered from his other side. "Please, don't do this, don't go, I won't be able to watch you leave." She groped for her son's unbangaged hand clinging onto it desperatly as though Elladan was already drifting away from her. "Elladan saesa."

"Nana what other choice do I have?" Elladan asked sadly squeezing his mother's hand to reassure her that he was still here. Elrond noticed that his son was being oddly grown up about this and wasn't entirely sure if this was a good or bad thing.

"You can't go," Elrohir managed pulling out of his father's embrace and moving over to his twin. "Elladan you can't go please, I'll die if you do."

Elladan winced at his brother's words, understanding how terrible his decision must be for his twin. "Ada and Nana will look after you."

"No 'Dan please!" Elrohir practically shouted. "Don't go, don't even think about it."

"Elrohir," Elladan said moving his hand from his mother's to his twin's "You'll be alright without me here."

"No I won't," Elrohir whispered tears starting in his eyes once again. "The only reason I got through everything the past few days is because you were here," his voice dropped so low that only his twin could hear him. "We would have died that day without each other, you know it."

Elladan nodded slowly looking away. He couldn't do this to Elrohir, he could feel the anguish coursing through his twin. He couldn't leave Elrohir here to die. He looked across at his father seeing the way his eyes were shining then glanced to his mother who had burried her head in her hands again. Finally he turned back to his twin. His brother's eyes were watering and he was trying desperatly to keep himself calm.

"I can't do it can I?" He asked speaking more to himself than anyone else. "I can't leave you, it would tear you apart."

"What do you want to do then?" Elrond asked his heart skiping a beat as his son looked at him. "Elladan it is your choice, do not let us sway your decision. We understand your want to leave for Valinor."

"No," Elladan said shaking his head. "I would not be able to stand it, even if Valinor is eternal peace." He sighed wearily. "There is only one other choice I have; I have to have the operation."

None of them were sure whether this conclusion was better or worse than the one Elladan had given before. They all understood why Elladan had wanted to leave, after all at least in Valinor he would see them again, so was it really better this way?

"You can do it can't you Ada?" Elladan asked his father trying to catch his eye.

Elrond nodded. "I will try ion-nin."

* * *

A few hours later and Elladan was already being prepared for surgery. The elder of the peredhil twins lay alone in his room, he had been sleeping, but he had woken feeling the warm afternoon sun on his face. He did not know where his parents and brother had gone and at first he had been concerned that they had left him, but then he had just decided to relax. His head screamed at him to try and find them, or at least call for them - after all these could be the last hours he had on Arda with them. After a short while of mulling over the fact he had decided that maybe it would be best not to be with them, maybe it would be best for all of them.

The creak of the door as it swung open startled Elladan out of his thoughts and he looked round to see Elrohir peeking into the room. He smiled as Elrohir's face lit up obviously glad that he was awake.

"I thought you were sleeping," the younger twin said his voice overly loud in the quiet room as he shut the door carefully and made his way over to the bed perching on the soft mattress beside his brother.

"I was."

A sad silence hung in the air for a long while and Elrohir looked away from his brother picking at the bedsheets. Eventually he spoke: "How are you feeling?"

"Alright," Elladan said softly.

"When... when are you...?" Elrohir's words ran dry as he found himself unable to finish the sentence.

Elladan understood what his brother wanted to know and let out a sigh looking out of the window. "An hour, maybe more, I'm not really sure."

Elrohir closed his eyes trying not to let the tears held there spill over as he dropped his head slightly, his raven hair shadowing his face. Elladan stretched his hand down to clasp his brother's, stilling it's movements as Elrohir continued to pick idly at the bed clothes.

"I''m going to be alright 'Ro," Elladan tried to reassure his twin. "Trust me."

"I do," Elrohir said his voice coming out in a choked whisper. "But I..."

"You don't think I will be alright?" Elladan asked trying to catch his twin's silver gaze.

"Yes, I mean no, I do... I..." Elrohir looked up at his brother helplessly and Elladan could see the tears there just waiting to spill. "I'm frightened 'Dan."

"I'm frightened too," Elladan agreed squeezing his twins hand tighter. "But I'll be alright. And... and if anything does go amiss you know I'll always be with you in here." Elladan reached forwards and tapped his brother's chest near his heart. A small smile spread across the elder twins face face before he sobered and changed the subject. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," Elrohir answered nonchalantly.

"No I mean it 'Ro," Elladan said his eyes worried. Elrohir had changed his shirt, probably meaning that his wounds had bloodied his old shirt, and Elrohir needed to know if he was alright. "How's your back?"

"It's fine 'Dan, Ada just changed the bandages and he says it's healing well," Elrohir said stopping his brother before he could ask about anything else. "What about you? Is your back alright? If you have a head ache or something then you should tell Ada." Elrohir said worridley trying to shut out the memories of his fitting brother. He knew they would never leave him, no matter how much he wanted them too.

"Everything's fine," Elladan reassured him.

"Not it's not," Elrohir whispered. "I don't want you to go," the younger twin finally let the tears spill over. "'Dan please don't leave me. I don't know anything about death, but if there is a time when you have a chance to choose between life and death-"

"Elrohir," Elladan said cutting his twin off mid-sentence. "I'm not going anywhere trust me."

"Promise you'll come back to me," Elrohir choked out. "Promise you won't let yourself die in there."

"I promise Elrohir," Elladan soothed pulling his twin into an embrace with his good arm. "I'm not going anywhere." Elrohir clung to his brother never wanting to let go tears spilling down his cheeks. "It'll be alright 'Ro." Elladan told his twin even though inside he was not so sure. How could it possibly be alright? He was going to his death.

* * *

"Elrond, you shouldn't be the one to do the operation," Nesteron said looking at Elrond concerned as he mixed a sedative in a beaker on a table top that had been setup in one of the healing rooms.

"Elladan needs me," Elrond protested brow furrowed. "Besides I will be fine Nesteron, there is no need for concern." Elrond went to cut more of the herb he had been using, but his hands were shaking so much that the knife slipped cutting his finger. The Elven Lord threw the knife down on the chopping board turning his back on it and folding his arms across his chest. The elder elf looked at his bleeding finger for a moment before sticking it in his mouth and sucking on it glaring daggers at anything and everything in the room.

Nesteron knew that Elrond was daring him to say something, just from the dark look the Elven Lord was giving him, but he knew that he had to comment on the fact that it was a very bad idea for Elrond to do the operation.

"Elrond please let me do it," Nesteron begged. "I know how much you want to be there for the boy, but if you let your emotions get the better of you then everything could go wrong."

"I have to help him," Elrond said frantically taking his finger out of his mouth. "He's my son, I can't... I can't just wait..."

"I've attempted this operation before Elrond, I know what to do. The Haematoma+ is in the postcentral gyrus+ I can remove it easily enough," he paused looking at the Elven Lord to see if his explanation was having any affect before continuing. "I have been going over notes about this operation when it has been attempted before and I think I can do it."

"That's not good enough," Elrond snapped. "We think we can do a lot of things, but we can't."

"I have a better chance of saving him than you do whilst you're like this," Nesteron said calmly leveling Elrond's gaze with his own pale green eyes. "I know you are the better healer than I, but please let me operate on him. If you want then you can supervise me, but I think it would be better if I did the operation."

Elrond shook his head mutely.

"Elrond you are shaking so much that you cannot hold a knife, if you think I am letting you anywhere near your son like that then you are deeply mistaken," Nesteron said looking his friend in the eye and pinning him with a firm gaze. "I can do this."

Elrond nodded raising up his hands in defeat. "Fine, fine." He turned back to the chopping board finishing mixing the herbs into the beaker and turning back to Nesteron. "Just be careful Nesteron please. I am going to go and see Elladan now," he said his voice oddly empty as he left the room carrying the beaker in a trembling hand.

* * *

Elrond found Celebrian before going to Elladan knowing that both his wife and son would want to have a while to talk to each other in case the operation went ill. Now both of them walked down to the healing room where Elladan was staying Elrond trying to stop himself from dropping the glass whilst Celebrian bit down on her lip so hard it began to bleed.

When they entered the room they weren't really surprised to find that Elrohir was in there with him curled up on the bed next to his brother, fast asleep. At first the elder elves thought that both of the twins were asleep, but Elladan opened his eyes when he heard the pair of them come in and looked across at his parents.

"How are you feeling?" Elrond asked setting the glass down on the bedside table. Elladan glanced at it noting that there was most certainly a herb in it and knowing what it was for. He flicked his eyes away from it quickly not wanting to think about the impending doom that seemed to be closing in around him for a moment.

"I'm fine," Elladan said and smiled slightly. "My arm's got pins and needles though, Elrohir's lying on it."

Elrond grinned glad that his son still managed to find his sense of humor. The Elven Lord's face quickly darkened though as he remembered why he was there and he swallowed hard before speaking. "Elladan, you know what I have come here for," he said his voice shaking ever so slightly. "Is there anything you want to do or say - anything you need to tell your mother?"

Elladan turned his silver gaze on his mother who had moved round the bed to stand at his other side. "Im meleth le Nana," he whispered pulling his hand out of Elrohir's grip and embracing his mother. He clung tightly to her, grabbing a fistful of her golden hair like he had done when he was young as he burried his head in her shoulder for a brief moment. He thought he was going to start crying, but was surprised when he managed to hold the tears back swallowing hard to try and get rid of the lump in his throat.

"I love you too Elladan," Celebrian said softly finally letting go and placing a kiss on his brow, blinking back tears.

"Ada," Elladan turned to his father and Elrond leaned over the sleeping Elrohir to hug his son.

"You'll be alright," Elrond whispered into his son's ear. "I'll make sure you are alright."

"Hannon le," Elladan said quietly.

Elrond couldn't help but think that it was odd for his son to thank him for wanting to keep him alive, but he understood the boys motives all the same. Elladan was frightened, the Elven Lord could tell, his son was shaking so hard that one did not have to touch him to know it. Elrond pulled away slowly and looked at Elrohir for a moment wondering if he should wake the boy.

"Don't wake him up," Elladan said grabbing his father's wrist before he could wake his sleeping twin. "I've said all I can to him; I don't want to say goodbye."

Elrond nodded. "All right," he took the glass from the bedside table handing it to the boy. "Drink it all please."

Elladan took the glass from his father and looked at it slowly smelling the stuff inside the glass before putting it to his lips and gulping down the foul tasting drink. He felt like he was going to be sick, and he wasn't sure whether it was because of the herb or because he was so frightened about what was going to happen to him.

"No," the gasp came from next to him and Elladan knew that Elrohir had woken up. He didn't stop drinking the liquid until he had finished it all knowing that once he put the glass back down he would not be able to make himself pick it up again. Once he had finished he handed the beaker to his father feeling faint and once again he was not sure whether it was becuase of the drug or the fact that he was petrified.

"No Elladan!" Elrohir cried watching as the elder twin slumped back into the pillows his eyes already closing. "No, please Elladan stay awake."

"Sorry 'Ro," Elladan whispered as the inviting darkness of unconsciousness lapped about his vision.

"Please..."

Elladan grabbed his brother's hand and squeezed it tightly finally falling into the darkness - a darkness he might never wake from.

* * *

Haematoma - Blood clot

Postcentral gyrus - The part of the brain that controls muscle movments

I don't know if elves use all the big fancy words - specially as most of them are derived from latin - but what else should I call it use? I'm sorry that I updated so late and that the chapter is rather short! Tempus fugit! (Time flies) I really do not understand how this happened! But at least I am updating now right? Thanks for being so patient with me.

_**Please review!**_

_ElvenHope_


	8. Chapter 8

_Unfortunatly I don't have extensive medical knowledge - all I have is a big book and this big book doesn't tell me how to perform surgery to remove a blood clot from someone's brain so none of the opperation will be in great detail - it probably wouldn't be that interesting anyway. It probably won't be in this chapter though, the next one I think. Also about something in the last chapter. I have no idea how they would know exactly where the blood clot was seeing as they don't have a CT scan or anything, but we'll just have to trust that they have some way of figuring it out. _

Also this chapter is dedicated to **Viresse** for being a faithful reviewer throughout and leaving long thoughtful reviews!

_

* * *

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Part Eight

"Elladan," Elrohir whispered as his brother's grip loosened on his hand. "No, please."

Elrond rested a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. "He'll be alright Elrohir, I'm not going to let anything happen to him."

Elrohir looked round tears shining in his eyes. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I wanted to," Elrond admitted. "Elladan didn't want to say goodbye."

Elrohir looked slightly hurt, and turned his silver gaze on his sleeping brother. "Why would he do that?"

"Elladan said that he'd said all he needed to," Elrond said softly.

Elrohir nodded sadly and Celebrian walked round the bed to sit next to the younger twin pulling the boy into an embrace. "It'll be alright Elrohir," she said trying to comfort the boy. "Your father will make sure nothing happenes."

Elrond suddenly felt sick, Celebrian was not helping his nerves one bit. He wasn't even doing the operation, but the idea that he was going to be in there with his son terrified him. Then again he didn't want to have to wait outside either.

"I'm sorry, but you two have to leave now," Elrond said his voice serious. "I need to find Nesteron and the other healers and then we can operate on him."

Celebrian nodded understanding how hard it was for her husband to try and act like Elladan was just a normal patient. "Come on Elrohir," she said helping the boy to stand up. Elrohir grabbed his brother's hand again and at first the elder elves thought that they might have to fight him to get him out of the room.

Elrohir surprised them though by simply watching Elladan for a silent moment before leaning forwards and whispering in his brother's ear. Whether Elladan could hear him or not none of them would know. "Goodbye 'Dan," Elrohir said quietly. "I'll see you later."

Elrohir turned then, not once looking back as he left the room, trying to convince himself that the tears running down his cheeks weren't there. Celebrian kissed the elder twin on the forehead and gave Elrond a sad smile before following Elrohir out of the room.

Elrond sighed brushing a strand of ebony hair out of his son's face then stood slowly and went away in search of Nesteron.

Elrohir stormed down the corridor to his room ignoring anyone that tried to offer him help or asked what was wrong. There was a great feeling of anger inside him and he didn't know why. At first he had thought it was because Elladan hadn't woken him, but then again his twin had been right. They had said everything that was left to be said. All he wanted to do at this very minute was lock himself in his room and never come out again - at least not until the opperation was finished, if it went well. He didn't want to listen to his mother worrying over what would happen and he didn't want to hear the false reassurances that everything was going to be perfectly fine. Nothing was fine! Everything was horribly wrong.

"Elrohir?" The younger twin was waylaid by Sidhe - the weapons master - in the hall as he made his way to his bedroom.

Elrohir simply tried to pull away, not trusting himself to speak. He kept his eyes averted from the elder elf, his face expressionless. He tried to pull away again, but had no luck, Sidhe held him firmly.

"Elrohir what is the matter?" The warrior asked concerned for the younger elf. "Do you want me to find your mother?"

"No, I'm fine," Elrohir said and felt like laughing at the bitter irony in his words.

"You don't look fine," Sidhe tried to catch Elrohir's silver gaze with his own emerald one, but Elrohir turned away his ebony hair falling across his face. "Elrohir please I am trying to help."

"Let go of me!" The younger elf shouted suddenly his temper reaching boiling point. Sidhe was startled by the sudden outburst, it was not like Elrohir to anger quickly, he was always far calmer than his brother. The weapons master knew something of what had happened to the twins over the past few days, but the healers had been very discreat and no one, save the peredhel family, really knew what was going on. He knew that the twins had been hurt in some way and if Elrohir was acting this way because of some sort of psychological after effect then he could understand. The boy was being irrational now though and the best thing for him was really to be with one of his parents.

"Where is your mother Elrohir?" Sidhe asked still holding onto the elf.

"I don't know!" The younger twin shouted struggling to pull Sidhe off him. Finally, having no other option, Elrohir dug the fingernails of his free hand into the elder elf's skin so hard that it drew blood. Sidhe let go immediatly and Elrohir raced away down the corridor dodging those standing there who moved quickly aside.

As he neared his bedroom Elrohir was grabbed again, but he quickly disentangled himself from whoever had caught him hitting out at anything and everything until the elf let go. This was not proper behavior for a son of Elrond and Elrohir knew it, but he didn't care, all he wanted to do was get to his room.

After what seemed like ages, but was in fact only mere seconds, he reached his room. Elrohir wrenched the door open slamming it behind him, locking it before sliding down the wood to sit on the floor, the tears finally spilling over.

Sidhe rushed to the golden haired elf that was leaning against the wall trying to still the pain in his stomach. "Are you alright?" The younger elf asked the Balrog Slayer. Glorfindel had tried to stop Elrohir in the hall as well and had gotten a similar reaction from Elrohir, probably a worse one.

Glorfindel nodded straightening up. "He's got a strong arm."

"Hmm," Sidhe said glancing down at his own arm which was now marred with what looked like claw marks.

"Glorfindel, Sidhe!" Celebrian called hurrying down the hall towards them her face worried, she had lost Elrohir when he had broken into a run and now had no idea where he had gone. "Have you seen Elrohir?"

Glorfindel nodded. "Yes actually."

"Where is he? Where did he go?" The Elven Lady's worried cerulean eyes suddenly caught sight of Sidhe's arm. "What happened to your arm?"

"Your son happened to my arm," Sidhe snapped. The elf shook himself inwardly. "I apologise my Lady, I just did not expect that sort of behavior from him, it is my fault really."

"What happened?" Celebrian asked the pair worried about Elrohir. She couldn't believe that he would have done something like that, it was not like him at all. He would have to apologise to the Weapons Master later, but right now she was more worried about Sidhe.

"Elrohir looked upset so I asked him what was wrong," Sidhe explained. "He wouldn't answer me so I asked him if he wanted me to get you for him. He still wouldn't answer me, he kept on saying that he was alright and asked me to let go." Sidhe looked at Celebrian apologetically. "I should have probably just let him go then, but I thought it would be best to find either you or Lord Elrond. He just wanted to go so he dug his fingernails into my arm and I let go of him."

"I apologise for my son's behavior Sidhe," Celebrian said knowing that there was need for formality despite the fact she simply wanted to find Elrohir. "His brother isn't very well," she admitted, she knew she could trust the Weapons Master. "I fear he has changed somewhat in the past few days, although I know that is no excuse. I will make sure he apologises to you later, I am very sorry Sidhe."

"It is alright my Lady," the Weapons Master said quickly. "I think that your son needs you now."

"Thank you Sidhe," Celebrian said as Sidhe inclined his head in acknowledgment and walked away.

"Elrohir went to his room," Glorfindel answered the question before Celebrian could even ask him, knowing what she would say. "He was in quite a state, is Elladan alright?"

"Elladan is being prepared for the operation," Celebrian said sadly. "Elrohir... well he feels like we all do, but I think it is harder for him." Celebrian really did not know how it could be harder than it seemed to be for her, but the twins were conected in some way that made it far worse. They had probably inherited the some psychic skills from both Elrond and Galadriel. "I should probably talk to him, being on his own will do him no good," Celebrian decided walking down the hall towards Elrohir's room, the Balrog Slayer following in her wake.

When they reached Elrohir's room the Elven Lady tried the door handel only to find that the door had been locked. She wondered vaguely why they had allowed the twins to have locks on their doors, it had never really aided anyone. Whenever the twins had a spat or they didn't want to talk to anyone then they would end up locked in their rooms for hours.

She sighed heavily and knocked on the door. "Elrohir?"

Elrohir didn't make a sound not moving from where he sat leant against the door, although he tried to hide the sound of his tears. It didn't work, however, he sniffed rather loudly and Celebrian's sharp ears heard.

"Elrohir please let me in," Celebrian said kneeling down so that she was level with where she knew her son was sitting.

"I'm fine Nana," Elrohir managed his voice only a little choked. "I just want to be on my own."

"Elrohir please, if not for you then for me," Celebrian begged. "I need to be with you now, even if you don't want me to."

"No," Elrohir whispered standing up and walking to his bed laying down on his front - his back was still giving him some trouble - his head burried in the pillows. His mother continued to call him, but he was no longer listening, he wasn't going to come out and nothing on Arda would make him. He needed to be alone now, he needed to think. He could still feel Elladan, he knew his brother was still there, he was alive - for now. It was just a matter of waiting really, and deep down Elrohir knew it, he was waiting for that tearing feeling again, like his soul was being broken in half. He knew it would happen again and this time he feared that it would indeed shatter his soul.

Celebrian sat in the hallway for a long while, Glorfindel standing beside her. Her voice had nearly gone hoarse from calling to Elrohir and her worry for her elder son was growing minute by minute. The balrog slayer had tried to help her encourage the boy to open the door, but his efforts were in vein. It angered the ancient elf to see that Elrohir was causing his mother pain, however unintentional it was, the poor Lady had been through enough.

"Elrohir," Celebrian said her hand beating lightly on the wood.

When Elrohir didn't answer Glorfindel stepped in hammering on the door. "Elrohir let your mother in this instance, you're causing her grief that she doesn't need right now!"

There was a shuffling sound from inside the room and Glorfindel was glad that he had at least made the elf consider moving. Celebrian was looking at him a little shocked, but he ignored her. He knew he had no right to shout at her son, but he had known the twins since they were born and had always been a good friend of both Celebrian and Elrond. The Elven Lady would never shout at her sons, she wasn't that sort of person - and that was Elrond's job. Sometimes she really needed to muster up the courage to yell at them, sometimes the twins took advantage of her soft nature. Normally neither of them knew they were doing it, but they did all the same. Celebrian was a very selfless person and sometimes she had to concentrate on what she needed and not everyone around her.

The door opened suddenly and Elrohir's blotchy, tear stained, face appeard. He looked away as his mother stood up, unable to meet her gaze, trying to hide the tears that were rolling down his cheeks with a curtain of ebony hair. The younger elf turned back to his room and both of the elder elves followed him before he could shut the door on them again.

"Elrohir?" Celebrian asked as the youth sat down on his bed not looking at anyone.

"Sorry," the younger elf whispered.

"There is nothing to be sorry for," Celebrian said quickly sitting down next to the boy and wrapping an arm about his shoulders.

"No there is," Elrohir replied. "I was wrong to shut you out when you only wanted to help, Glorfindel was right, I was being selfish."

Celebrian pulled her son tighter to her, her cheek rested against the top of his head. "Well, although I still feel that you need not apologise, if it makes you feel better you are forgiven. I can understand how hard this is for you."

Glorfindel watched them both sadly, wondering idly which of the two elves this was hurting more. In a normal case he would have suspected that the parent was the one who was being put through the most grief - although the difference would have been a slim one. Elladan and Elrohir, however, were quite a different case. They could tell what the other was thinking, they knew how to help each other sometimes when no one else could. They were two halves of the same soul as the Valar had obviously meant them to be. To Elrohir it must have felt like part of him was dying.

"Thank you Nana," Elrohir said his voice was tired and full of sorrow, his face troubled and etched in misery. Celebrian was wearing a similar expression, but there were no tears in her crystal blue eyes. The Elven Lady was beyond tears now.

Celebrian simply smiled wistfully at her son's voice realizing sadly how small it sounded. She wondered how her husband was coping with actually being in the room with Elladan. Celebrian didn't know whether waiting was harder than actually being in there. She hated waiting and found dread clutching at her heart as she remembered her Elladan's words before he had fallen asleep. She should have stayed with him a little longer, she should have talked to him, sat with him. What if it had been the last time she would ever see Elladan alive?

She shuddered, thinking like that would not help, she had to stay posative. The Valar would not be so cruel, would they? Now that she thought about it she was not so sure.

Elrohir's eyes flickered up to the balrog slayer and he wondered if he was in trouble with the two elder elves, he knew it had been Glorfindel that he had hit - although at that moment his mind had been set on escaping.

"I'm sorry about hitting you Glorfindel," Elrohir said when the balrog slayers sapphire eyes turned on him. "I wasn't thinking I just-"

His words were cut off by an abrupt cry of agony and the young elf lurched forwards in his mother's hold. A sudden pain, exploded in the youth's chest, ripping, tearing, burning. His chest was on fire, and the air had been stolen from his lungs.

"Elrohir!" Celebrain cried terrified by the sudden turn of events. What in Arda was happening? Was there something seriously wrong with Elrohir? Something Elrond had overlooked? How could her husband have been so careless? She clung to her son tightly, terrified, tears of fear and panic stinging her eyes at the expression of pure agony on Elrohir's face, his lips parted in a silent scream. Glorfindel raced across the room as the boy pitched forwards again, breaking out of his mother's tight hold. The Balrog Slayer caught the young elf before he hit the floor and Celebrian dropped down beside them as Glorfindel supported the boy's shaking body.

Elrohir couldn't breath, he was in agony, if he didn't know better he would say that a sword had just been driven through his heart slicing the whole way through him. Then pain exploded in his brain and he saw - if it could be called seeing - the thing was that he knew, it didn't matter whether he saw or not he just knew.

"Elladan," the boy choked, gasping for the air that was being denied to him. "Elladan..."

"What is it Elrohir?" Celebrian asked as her son's eyes slipped out of focus, she had seen Elrond do that before and her mother. Elrohir was either close to unconsciousness from pain or he was seeing something. "Elrohir what is the matter? What has happened to your brother?"

Elrohir was shaking badly now, swet beading on his forehead, his face going deathly pale, his lips turning blue. The murmered whispers were impossible to interprate, but Celebrian could see her son's lips forming his brother's name over and over again. His eyes were still unseeing, they were glazing over now and the elder elves didn't know what to do. They just knew that they had to do _something _and quick!

Celebrian was completely terrified, fear seizing her heart when she realized that she may be loosing both her son's. "It's Elladan," she whispered suddenly in understanding, her mind refusing to believe it. "Elladan... he's dying..."

Glorfindel looked at her wide, pale blue eyes suddenly too shocked to move. He tried to get his unresponsive brain to remember what he should do, there had to be some form of basic medical knowledge inside of him that would help Elrohir. He had been trained in basics and of course being a trusted friend of the best healer in the whole of Arda had it's advantages, but his mind wouldn't work properly. He hadn't felt this helpless since years ago - thousands of years ago when he had been very young and trying to remember the answer to a particularily hard mathmatical equation. It seemed like eons ago now - which come to think of it, it was. Ai,he had to concentrate, why was it that when the life of his friend's son was at stake the only thing he could thing about was his own child hood?

Celebrian's mind seemed to be working far better than the Balrog Slayer's at the moment, she grabbed the young elf laying him on the floor to help his breathing, clutching his hand. Well mayhap that was all she could think to do at the moment, but it was better than just sitting there.

Elrohir's world seemed like it was literally turned upside down, and in that moment there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it. His mind had put a hold on time, his body twitching as the pain shot through him. The only thing he could think about was Elladan. His brother was dying, his brother was leaving him. He knew he couldn't survive without his twin - and at the moment it seemed that he didn't have a choice, he was being dragged under with him.

Another sharp starb of pain pierced his heart, radiating outwards through out him, until it felt like his body was on fire. His vision was going dark and he wondered if it was the end. He wondered if this was hurting his brother as much as him, but no, death was supposed to be peaceful, like falling into a great slumber - not like this. Then a terrible thought struck him and he cried his brother's name at the very idea of it, screamed for Elladan to stay with him. He himself was not dying. This searing pain was not the welcoming arms of death, it was the feeling of his brother being viciously torn away from him, somewhere where he himself could not follow.

The pain grew stronger the intense feeling making the young elf shake in shock as part of himself was torn from his being - from the very fibre of his soul.

"Elladan," Elrohir whispered, his voice hoarse from crying. "Fight it, muindor, saesa..."

A scream was torn from the boy's throat as the final wave of fire far more terrible than the other's shot through him, blinding him, deafening him to nothing but the white hot pain. Then he was falling into darkness his last thoughts of his brother, now lost to him forever.

* * *

Sorry for the cliff hanger and one thousand apologies for not updating sooner. I've recently started working at the stables near my house to get work experience for a future job (hopefully) so now I have even less time - and then there are the sats in May... 

Please review!

ElvenHope!

I am sorry if I have not replied to reviews that have been sent, I am a forgetfull person, I still really do appreciate them and try find the timeto reply -- when I remember.


	9. Chapter 9

Part Nine

Elrond was startled by the worried look on his friend's face and was even more alarmed by the sudden panic that filled the room. It took the Elven Lord a few seconds for his brain to register what was actually going on about him before he understood. He jumped up rushing to Nesteron's side regardless of the fact that it was probably best for him to stay out of the way.

"Nesteron?" Elrond asked looking worriedly at the still form of the boy trying to ignore the cut in the side of his head which Nesteron had been sealing up. He had successfully removed the blood clot and there had been moments when it looked like everything was going to be fine, but nature had decided to thwart their hopes with this critical blow.

"He is not breathing," Nesteron stated the obvious tilting Elladan's head back and arching his neck slightly. Placing one hand on top of the other he pressed down on the boy's static chest counting five before breathing into the lax mouth.

Elrond could only watch in horror all of the colour draining from his face, his brain could not process the information it was being given. This wasn't happening, it couldn't be. Elladan could not stand this at the moment, they had to get him back soon or there could be serious problems. Brain damage was a frightening prospect, but what Elrond feared the most was the death of his son. It would cause a butterfly effect through out his family until he was the only one left standing on the shores of Middle Earth. At least that was the worst possible scenario, but it also seemed most likely.

"Valar no," the Elven Lord breathed heart pounding wildly in his chest. He shut his eyes and tried to calm himself silently praying to the Valar for their help. They had eluded him until now, they had let so much pain befall his family; they could at least save his son. Inside he knew that this was not the Valar's doing, he knew that it was his fault, but at the moment taking all his anger out on someone else felt far better.

Minutes passed and still nothing happened; Elladan did not take another breath and was getting worse, his lips and the skin beneath his fingernails was turning blue and his face was deathly pale. Elrond looked on helplessly as Nesteron turned to him eyes wide with worry, and sadness wondering what to say or do. Nesteron could continue on like this for hours, but he knew that unless some miracle occurred he would not be able to resuscitate the boy.

Understanding the other healers look, Elrond felt his heart break. He had seen that look before; he had given that look to others before. Nesteron was just waiting for someone else to confirm his own feelings and he was looking to Elrond for that confirmation. The Elven Lord shook his head still unable to believe that this was happening. He had seen it happen before; he had had to break the terrible news to distraught families before. But he had never thought that this could happen to him. Never thought that the family he would have to tell would be his own.

"Elrond," Nesteron said once again counting to five.

The Elven Lord shook his head. "No," he felt tears sting his eyes and bit them back. "No, no, you're wrong, he can't be... he's not..."

"Elrond he's dead," the healer stopped trying to resuscitate Elladan letting his hands fall to his sides, his eyes filled with compassion and understanding as he turned to his friend. "I'm sorry."

Elrond closed his eyes his brows knitted; he placed a hand over his eyes hiding his tears from the other elves in the room trying to comprehend what he had just been told. He swallowed hard looking up and blinking rapidly to subdue the tears that he was trying to convince himself were not there. His son was not dead, he couldn't be.

The Elven Lord moved forwards suddenly an idea springing to mind. He would not let his son go yet, not if he could help it. Nesteron and the other healers in the room watched in fascination as Elrond placed one hand on the boy's forehead and another over his heart, closing his eyes in concentration. The intensity of Elrond's elven glow grew suddenly, shining brightly about him and compensating for the loss of Elladan's own ethereal light. The other worldly light of the Elven Lord's faer poured into his son. Now it was up to Elrond, only he had the power to bring his son back to the world of the living. He could save Elladan still, whilst there was hope.

The other's watched amazed, this was the miracle they needed. Nesteron was worried for his Lord wondering how much of his faer he could pass on to Elladan before his will gave out or he seriously damaged his own being. The healer dared not do anything though, Elrond would never forgive him if Nesteron broke his concentration and lost him his only chance at saving Elladan.

The doors to the room opened suddenly and Nesteron turned to see Glorfindel standing there eyes filled with darting frantically about the room. The golden haired elf crossed the room quickly to Nesteron his eyes fixed on Elrond. No one tried to stop the Balrog Slayer as he entered they were still transfixed by the scene before them.

"What is happening?" Glorfindel asked his voice quiet so as not to disturb the silence of the room. From the way the elder elf's voice hitched slightly Nesteron could tell that he had been running and had only just regained regular breathing.

"Elladan went into cardiac arrest," Nesteron stated watching Elrond. "I believe Elrond is saving him." In truth Nesteron had no idea what was actually happening, but he knew somehow that the survival of Elladan now depended wholly on Elrond's spirit. "Is something wrong?" Nesteron asked finding the time to tear his gaze away from Elrond to look at Glorfindel's worried face.

"Elrohir collapsed," Glorfindel said softly. "We decided that it had to have something to do with Elladan."

"We?"

"Celebrían is with Elrohir now," Glorfindel explained his voice barely a whisper. "He is fine, I just... I just hope Elladan is also."

"We will soon see I think," Nesteron said once again transfixed by the scene in the center of the room. Elladan's life rested in the balance, rested in his father's healing hands.

Elrond was totally oblivious to what was going on around him his mind and soul set on saving his son from Mandos' Halls. Elladan would not leave him where he could not follow. He knew that now he risked loosing part of his son, he knew Elladan's mind could already be damaged beyond repair, but he didn't care, he had to save the boy's life.

The Elven Lord poured his faer into the boy strengthening what little life there was left in Elladan's soul infusing it with his own will, pulling the youth back from the edge of oblivion. It was easier when there was something to drive out of a spirit when there was a darkness to fight against and push away. Now it was harder he had to hang onto what was left of his son and slowly draw him back, an impossible task when Elladan's faer was undecided on whether it should stay or flee. Elrond knew that his son would never intentionally leave and he also knew that it was the boy's willpower that had kept him going on this long, but the pull of Mandos' Halls was a strong one and almost impossible to defeat. One moment it looked like Elrond would succeed and the next his son seemed to be slipping from his grasp. It was like trying to hold a fish in his bare hands his son's faer continued to elude him, shying away from both darkness and light, caught in limbo.

Slowly but surely Elrond's strength was waning being sapped from him by the intensity of these moments - although whether it was moments he could no longer tell, every second seemed like a life age. Consciousness was fleeing the Elven Lord rapidly and Elrond knew that he did not have long before he passed out. If he did his son may be lost to him forever.

Gathering what power he had left in a final desperate attempt Elrond poured what remaining strength he could into his son. His head swam suddenly, exhaustion overcame the peredhil and his hands slipped from where they rested as he collapsed back onto the floor unconsciousness claiming him before he even hit the ground.

"Elrond!" Glorfindel exclaimed rushing to the Elven Lord's side as Nesteron checked Elladan over examining the boy carefully. Glorfindel looked up at the healer questioningly praying that his friend's efforts had not been in vain. "Well?"

A broad smile spread across the healer's face. Although they were not quite out of the woods yet Nesteron was certain that the worst was over. "He lives."

* * *

:o:O:o:

His mother was holding him close, rocking him gently, trying desperately to calm him down, but Elrohir couldn't stop the floods of tears pouring down his cheeks. He had come round a long while later to find himself lying in bed, his mother sleeping next to him. Celebrían had woken quickly when she had heard her son crying and occupied her troubled mind with trying to calm Elrohir down. Glorfindel had left shortly after Elrohir blacked out to find out what had actually happened and still he had not returned. Celebrían could not thank the Balrog Slayer enough for everything he had done for them in the past few days; there really was no way to repay him.

The fact that Glorfindel had not returned troubled Celebrían greatly, if Elladan had survived why had Glorfindel not returned? It made no sense, she could understand why he had not come back if Elladan had died, but wouldn't he have at least sent someone to tell her? He would not forget her like this would he?

Not knowing had to be the worst thing in the world, not knowing and just waiting. Elrohir's choked sobs redirected her attention and she pushed her own thoughts aside kissing the boy gently on the temple pulling him close. If Elladan was gone she was not going to loose her other son as well, but despair filled her heart as she held the distraught child, knowing somehow that if Elladan was dead Elrohir would die too. She clung to that 'if' for all it was worth, hoping beyond hope that Elladan was alright. He had to be, he just had to.

"Ssh Elrohir, it is alright," she cooed stroking his hear gently trying to calm him down. These last few hours had taken their toll on both of them and Celebrían felt light headed with exhaustion, it did not seem to matter at all that she had been sleeping. None of them could survive this much longer.

"I can't feel Elladan Nana," Elrohir whimpered. "I can't feel anything."

"I know, I know," Celebrían said softly. "It'll be alright though; we'll get through this together won't we?"

Elrohir opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find any words and the bitter silence made Celebrían's heart break.

"Elrohir?" Celebrían caught her son's chin and titled it up so that he looked her in the eye. "Elrohir don't even think about leaving me as well do you hear me? Don't!"

Elrohir looked away and didn't say anything leaning back into his mother's embrace. "I just want to see Elladan."

"I do to ion-nín," Celebrían whispered. "I do to."

* * *

:o:O:o:

Eventually, Glorfindel returned only to find both Celebrían and Elrohir fast asleep. He leaned over the elleth gently shaking Celebrían's shoulder until she woke.

"Glorfindel?" Celebrían asked her eyes adjusting to the light in the dim room. She sat up careful not to wake Elrohir. "What has happened? Is Elladan alright?"

A smile graced the Elven Lord's features and his eyes shone brightly. Celebrían felt her heart sore, she knew Elladan was alive. She didn't need confirmation, but she waited for it anyway, just to hear that her son was alright.

"He lives Celebrían," Glorfindel could have laughed at Celebrían's expression of shock and happiness, the Elven Lady seemed to glow with joy, she had never looked so relieved. "Elrond saved him, Elladan stopped breathing, but Elrond brought him back. I'm not entirely sure how..."

Celebrían nodded in understanding, "where is Elrond now?"

"He fainted afterwards," Celebrían stiffened immediately standing, but Glorfindel caught her hand stopping her. "It's alright; he'll be fine once he wakes, a little weak maybe, but fine. He's in the healing room with Elladan; shall I take you there now?"

"Yes," Celebrían turned to Elrohir shaking him awake still extremely careful of her son's injuries.

Elrohir jerked awake. "Nana?"

"Yes Elrohir," Celebrían smiled at the confused look on her son's face. "It's alright Elrohir, Elladan's alive, and he's fine."

Elrohir's mouth hung open and he couldn't find any words, he had really expected his twin to be dead. He had felt it. A light danced in the boy's eyes as he searched inside himself, finding the connection he had with his twin.

"He's alive!" Elrohir leapt forwards hugging his mother, the force behind it nearly pushed her off the bed. Celebrían laughed and the joyous sound rung about the room hanging in the air. "Can we see him? Is he awake? Where is Ada?"

"Calm down Elrohir, you will hurt yourself," Glorfindel laughed. He looked at Celebrían smiling, "come I will take you to them."

"Them?" Elrohir looked quizzically at the elder elves as his mother pulled him to his feet.

"Your Adar saved Elladan," Glorfindel explained. "You should be very proud of him."

"I am," Elrohir grinned as they walked down the corridors towards the healing rooms. The servants watched as the three of them passed glad that everything seemed to be right again with the peredhil family.

When they entered the room where both Elladan and Elrond were sleeping Celebrían had to put a firm hand on her son's shoulder to stop him from running over to his twin.

"He may not come round yet," Celebrían warned him. "And be careful of his broken bones."

Elrohir nodded eagerly and Celebrían let go allowing the boy to race over to his brother and climb up on the bed next to him. Celebrían watched with tears of joy sliding down her cheeks not noticing that Glorfindel had slipped out of the room. Deciding to leave Elrohir alone with his twin for a while despite how much she wanted to see him. He was alive, that knowledge would do for now.

Instead she crossed the room to her husband and sat down on the edge of the bed. He looked so sweet lying there, so relaxed; she had not seen him like this in a long time. He had his eyes closed, but that was of little concern to the elleth, her husband had given a lot of his faer to help Elladan, he needed to recover his strength. Celebrían smiled inwardly as Elrond tried to kick her off him and rolled over, he was obviously enjoying his sleep.

"Hannon le meleth-nín," she whispered close to his ear, but it was enough to wake Elrond up.

He turned onto his back and blinked to clear his muggy vision. "Celebrían? W-where is Elladan?"

"He is alive you saved him meleth!" Celebrían cried leaning forwards to kiss him. "Oh I was so worried! Elrohir collapsed; I thought the worst had happened."

"Is Elrohir alright now?" Elrond asked sitting up, he looked across the room and immediately saw that Elrohir was indeed fine, in fact the boy looked better than he had in a long time.

Elrond tried to get out of the bed, but Celebrían immediately pushed him gently, but firmly back down into the pillows grinning.

"You are staying there until you are well rested," she said her eyes daring her husband to defy her.

Elrond pushed her hand away and tried to sit up again, when Celebrían pushed him back down he gave her an exasperated look. "I am fine Celebrían, honestly."

"Hypocrite," Celebrían countered quickly.

"Celebrían-"

"Elrond, if you do not lay still then I will force some of your own 'tea' into you," Celebrían said, her voice was serious, but her eyes danced with mirth as she looked at her husband.

"Oh really?" Elrond asked raising an eyebrow. "And how on earth would you propose to do that meleth-nín?"

Celebrían scowled. "You just try it Elrond peredhil."

Elrond laughed unable to keep a straight face. Celebrían lay down next to him, watching her sons' as Elrond fiddled idly with her long silver gold hair.

_Thank Illuvatar for reuniting my family, _Elrond thought watching as Elrohir lay down next to Elladan. The elder twin had not yet woken, but he was healing and most importantly he would live. From now on Elrond would have far much more faith in the Valar than he had ever had. It was true that his family had experienced hard times, but there was light at the end of the tunnel. Elladan was alive and Elrohir was alive and his beautiful wife was still here with him and no one had had to sail across the sea. He sighed contentedly relaxing back into the pillows as the rest of the peredhil family slipped into a peaceful sleep. _Yes, thank Illuvatar for giving him his family back - not that he had ever truly lost them in the first place.

* * *

_

:o:O:o:

Consciousness eluded him. He could not get a firm grip on the waking world. Snatches of conversation filtered through his mind, but in his semi conscious delirium he could not comprehend the words being said, nor did he know whether they were just figments of his disorientated imagination.

In this limbo there were nightmares and his delusional mind could not discern dreams from reality. He was plagued by haunting images and every time the nightmares became too real he would shake and cry and someone would sedate him to try and calm him down. Then he was sent spiraling back into oblivion. Weakened by the drugs he was being given and pain he was unable to break the surface of the waking world.

This time the dream was far more real than it had ever been before. Orcs were chasing him, through dark woods which stretched out to snare him and tear at his clothes. He did not know where he was and he did not know his way home and he was frightened. Tears poured down his cheeks as he stumbled blindly onwards, but the world was dark and he could not understand the song of these blackened trees. The orcs were gaining on him and they caught him, tripped him up. A burning fire exploded inside and agony shot through him and then...

The most wonderful sensation started on his forehead running through him a cool tingling feeling which somehow at the same time was filled with warmth and life. Light broke through the darkness fighting back the orcs who fled from it and the feeling encompassed the elf wrapping him carefully in the calm hold.

Sweet words were being whispered in the elven tongue as someone stroked his brow lovingly driving all the hurt and pain out of him.

Finally Elladan broke through the surface of consciousness his eyes flickering open to look up at his father. Elrond smiled down at him his eyes shining with unshed tears.

"A-Ada," Elladan whispered reaching out a shaking hand to brush away a silent tear that slipped down his father's cheek. It was impossibly hard to move his hand, but he assumed that must have been just an after effect of the operation and pushed the thought aside.

Elrond gently grasped the shaking hand kissing each fingertip in turn just to remind himself that Elladan was there, that he was alive. "You frightened me for a moment there penneth."

A broad smile broke out across the younger elf's face and sunshine blossomed in his bright eyes. "I... I'm not dreaming," Elladan said his voice soft in the silent room. "I'm not d-dead."

"No you're not," Elrond laughed. "The operation was successful, Elladan you're alive." It had finally sunken in, it was finally over, and everything was back to normal. He would never forget those memories of his son lying still on the bed, and he knew that the images would haunt him forever, but it did not matter now, Elladan was alive, he would heal.

The warm morning sunlight streamed in through the open window and birds sung out in the tree tops. Elladan tried to move his head, but was surprised to find that he couldn't. He looked up at his father and Elrond caught the sudden change in mood. Elladan's expression troubled him greatly and he took his son's hand squeezing it reassuringly.

"What is wrong Elladan?" Elrond asked placing a hand on his forehead to check his temperature, pushing the sweaty raven hair out of his eyes.

"M-My head," Elladan was finding everything hard now, he had not noticed when he had first woken relieved that he was alive, but he was having problems forming the words. Problems remembering what the words were. "C-can't move it."

"It's alright Elladan," Elrond reassured him. "I feared this might happen, you suffered from hypoxia during the operation, you arrested. We thought you were going to... It doesn't matter though; the part of your brain Nesteron was working on was damaged." Elladan's face changed to one of horror and Elrond reassured his son quickly. "It is not permanent there are plenty of things we can do to treat it. Therapy for both speech and movement is the best option, you will be better in a little while."

"A little w-while?" Elladan asked worriedly his words slightly slurred.

"Yes," Elrond said now checking his son's eyes. "It varies between people, it may take six months, it may take two years, but it will go. Do you understand?"

"No," Elladan answered.

"What don't you understand?" Elrond asked slowly, maybe his son's hearing had been damaged.

"No... I... no," Elladan's forehead creased and his silver eyes looked troubled, there was a quiver of uncertainty in his voice.

"What is the matter?" Elrond asked bending down so that he was at eye level with his son.

"No... speak... A-Ada!" The last word was panicked as Elladan looked at his father confused and frightened.

"It's alright 'Dan, you're just having a little trouble with words," Elrond said giving his son a smile to comfort him. "It is something that we can work on later."

Elladan nodded, but his eyes were still frightened. "Nana."

"I will get her for you and Elrohir as well I presume. Do you mind if I leave you alone for a minute?" Elrond asked looking at his son; he was not going to leave the boy if he was still worried.

"Yes," Elladan said and his brows knitted.

Elrond caught on quickly. "Say 'no' Elladan."

"Y-Yes," Elladan felt tears of frustration sting his eyes this was terrifying, he knew what he wanted to say, but the words wouldn't come to him.

"Alright so you are fine with me going?"

"No," Elladan spoke, but there was a convincing smile to it and Elrond nodded understanding.

He stood slowly and left the room to find the remainder of his family pausing at the door to tell his son that he would be back in a minute before leaving the room.

The door burst open seconds later and Elrohir raced in jumping on him before remembering his brother's injuries and quickly pulling away from the tight embrace.

"I'm sorry did I hurt you?" Elrohir asked concerned looking at his brother as though he were a china doll.

"F-fin-e," Elladan reassured his twin pulling Elrohir into a warm embrace with his good arm.

Elrohir swallowed back tears remembering the tearing feeling when his brother had nearly been lost to him. "Don't ever do that again 'Dan," he said softly. "It really hurt," he patted his chest where his heart was, "in here, I thought I was dying."

"I-I'm n-not plannning on l-leavign 'ny tim-me sooon 'Ro," Elladan said annoyed that words were still incredibly hard to form when there was so much to say.

Elrohir's smile brightened, he was concerned about his brother's obvious speech impediment, but he was sure that his Adar could fix it, his father could do anything. The younger twin would never doubt his father's wisdom or judgment again.

"N-ana," Elladan said joyfully seeing his mother enter with Elrond behind her. Celebrían rushed over to her son tears of joy and relief already streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh Elladan I was so worried!" She pulled him close her hands trailing through his ebony hair as she kissed his forehead. She held him back to get a better view, to make sure that this truly was her son and not a dream before crushing him back into a warm embrace again. It had been nearly a day since Elrohir and Celebrían had heard the good news, but the Elven Lady had not let herself be certain until she could hold her child in her arms again and see the light in his eyes. "I love you ion-nín, oh my precious boys!" Celebrían reached out a hand to grab Elrohir as well pulling him into the hug, very a careful of both of their wounds despite her desperation to just hold them tight. "Never ever ever do something like that again, either of you. Or I'll... I'll lock you in your rooms for eternity."

Elladan laughed and Elrond walked to the other side of the bed taking a seat in one of the comfortable chairs there.

"There is something we need to discuss," Elrond said. He was sad to break up the happy moment, but knew that he should warn the other two before they noticed that there was still something with Elladan. Elrohir and Celebrían broke the embrace slightly letting Elladan rest back against the pillows. Both looked expectantly at Elrond trying to discern from his expression what he was about to say. "During the operation parts of Elladan's brain suffered from hypoxia, this damaged them slightly. The damage however, is not permanent, he is having problems with speaking and I expect that muscle movement is a problem as well. There are plenty of ways to treat this and before we know it you'll be back to normal Elladan."

Elladan smiled, he couldn't help but feel that everything was going to be alright. He was safe, he was most certainly alive and he knew that his family would help him with the obstacles that lay in his path. Together they could get through anything, no matter what.

* * *

:o:O:o:

_A/N: I suppose the end of this chapter was rather sappy, but I love a good lot of fluff, who doesn't? Besides all stories need a happy ending. This, however, is not the end yet. It is the penultimate chapter and so I had to leave a little something for then didn't I? So next chapter will be very soon. I am trying to get this to hit the 100 review mark so please please review!_

_ElvenHope_


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10

_'My most treasured possessions are not things, they are thepeople who love me unconditionally and never ask anything in return - man's greatest treasure must be his family.' -- Anon._

:o:O:o: 

The sun shone down on the gardens of Imladris and birds chattered in the treetops as they watched the elves bellow curiously. Elrohir sat on an ornately carved stone bench which backed onto the wall below the balcony to the peredhil family's private rooms. It was the height of summer and a gentle wind danced through the tall, lush, grass at the edge of the clearing whilst butterflies fluttered between the wild flowers. Bees buzzed in the heather and the faint roar of the Branuin was complimented by the lilting melody of the trees.

In the small clearing surrounded by young saplings which grew to silver birch and mighty oak as one walked deeper into the forest sat Celebrian watching her elder son closely.

Elrohir laughed as his twin took a tentative step forwards, arms outstretched to keep his balanced. It was like watching a toddler learning to walk, the movments clummsy and awkward, Elladan was biting his lower lip in concentration. Normally Elladan would not come outside, he had taken to staying indoors or sitting out on the balcony, not wanting to be seen as an invalid. Today, however, Celebrian had decided that it was high time for her child to go outside again, it had been nearly half a year since Elladan's opperation.

The Elven Lady had eventually convinced her son that no one would disturb them in the secluded spot. The elder twin was reluctant, but was finally cajoled into it by a dare from Elrohir.

Speech had come easier and quicker to Elladan and he had been able to speak properly again within around two months thanks to the aid of his parents and brother. Arwen had come home from Lorien for the Yen festival that year wanting to see the twins after hearing of what had happened to them and that had brightened everyone's mood. The girl had really helped her brothers in a way their parents couldn't.

"What?" Elladan glared at his twin, trying to turn around too fast and loosing his footing. He fell to the ground hard and Celebrian rushed to his side stroking some of the ebony hair out of his eyes to see that there were tears shining in their silver depths.

"Elladan what is wrong?" Celebrian asked concerned.

"I can't do this Nana," the boy whispered. "I'm going to be like this forever."

"You're not Elladan," Celebrian reassured the boy. "Trust me you're getting better. You've improved so much in the past months. You can nearly walk properly on your own now."

"This shouldn't be so hard," Elladan said resting his head in the crook of his mother's shoulder. It was impossibly hard, everything had been impossibly hard for the last few months. He had learnt to walk nearly a thousand years ago and he was having to repeat the process all over again. He had had to retrain his brain to remember how to move properly and speak. He had felt stupid sitting with his father for hours on end, trying to make simple sounds that would not come to him without his voice faltering. Or when he had spent hours trying to walk, with his father supporting most of his weight, without his legs giving way. For every two steps forwards he had taken he had had to take one step back and the process was both physically and mentally draining.

His legs were weak and clumsy and although his arms were easier to control they too seemed to have a mind of their own feeling heavy to lift and awkward to move.

"You'll be back to normal very soon, 'Dan," Celebrian said soothingly. "You and Elrohir will be racing around causing havoc before you know it."

"I hope so," Elladan said as Celebrian helped him to his feet.

"Do you think you can reach Elrohir from here?" Celebrian asked looking over to where the younger twin sat on the stone bench watching them.

Elladan nodded shakily his hands still gripping on tightly to Celebrian's arm as he steadied himself. "I'll try."

The elder twin turned his arms flung out to either side to balance himself and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. He looked odly like a tightrope walker his arms wobbling slightly as he fought for balance, his feet almost touching as he made small hesitant steps. Elrohir watched silently what mirth he had seen in the situation gone. He shouldn't have laughed at Elladan, he knew that, but he really hadn't seen the harm in it at the time. Today seemed like a particularily light-hearted one. Nothing could put him in a foul mood today. The scent of lillies drifted by on a light breeze and he let his spirit soar on that wind closing his eyes so as to enhance the beautiful smell.

He was jerked back to earth by someone grabbing onto his arm. The hold was tight and tense, but when he opened his eyes his brother was standing next to him a broad smile gracing his lips. It had to have been the furthest Elladan had walked before and the elder twin laughed, the sound such a brilliant contrast to the sadness his face had held in the past months. Now his eyes were shining with joy and Elrohir smiled back at him.

The younger twin tried to gauge the distance between his mother and himself and was greatly surprised. It had to be at least twenty foot and up a slope. That was a vast improvment to the seven foot or so that Elladan could normally manage.

"That was brilliant 'Dan!" Elrohir said helping his twin to sit down beside him. "Nana was right we are going to be racing around again in no time."

Elladan grinned. "Don't patronise me, I know that was not some great achievment, I only walked a few feet."

"Well only a few months ago you could barely stand," Elrohir said knowing that it was important to encourage his twin. He knew that Elladan felt stupid learning to walk again like an infant when really he should be expecting to go on his first border patrol, but he also knew how hard it was for his twin and how quickly he was improving - something which Elladan obviously couldn't see.

Elrohir had waited patiently for his brother to catch up with him for the past few months. The younger twin had refused Glorfindel's offer to accompany th balro slayer and his patrol, knowing that Elladan would be both sad and annoyed if Elrohir went before him - especially as Elladan was proving to me a much more promising warrior than he. The difference in the twins skills was incredably slim, but it was easy to see that Elladan had that sanguine nature that Elrohir couldn't quite master. That temperment alone was enough to distinguish the pair, to tell which would be the scholar and which the warrior, although they were both were adept in such matters. So Elrohir had waited, and would still wait until his brother was better again. They were brothers, twins, whatever they did they did it together.

"Please don't remind me Elrohir," Elladan said an impish smile playing on his lips.

"You know I was thinking maybe we can cause some havoc sooner than Ada and Nana think," Elrohir said grinning. "If you help me think of something and then I..."

"No you don't," Celebrian said quickly walking over and sitting down in between them. "You two are staying where I can see you until I am certain Elladan is better - and after that as well."

"But..."

"No Elrohir your father and I don't want you going out on your own, not until we know you're ready." Celebrian said her voice broked no argument and the thought of what had happened the last time they had gone out on their own added to that threat.

"I know Nana," Elrohir said. "To tell you the truth I don't want to go out on my own yet."

Elladan nodded his agreement. "Not without Ada or Glorfindel."

"Oh boys, nothing is ever going to happen again don't you know that?" Celebrian asked wrapping an arm about her sons shoulders and pulling them close. The scars that had marked their skin had healed quickly, but the ones on their souls would last far longer. "Your Adar isn't going to let that happen again, he's increased the patrols no orcs have been sighted anywhere near here for a long time. Nothing will happen to you if you go in the forest."

"I'd rather stay here though," Elrohir said. "At least until Elladan is better."

"Well you could still go out with your Adar or Glorf-"

"No I'll stay here for now," Elrohir said cutting his mother off rather rudely - something which Celebrian chose to ignore. He had decided, he wasn't going anywhere without his brother.

"Alright then," Celebrian said knowing there was no arguing with either of her sons' once they had made their minds up. At least not about a matter like this, she couldn't force either of the twins to go out into the forest. "But I don't want you two staying here all the time you have to go back outside at some point you know."

"We are outside," Elrohir laughed waving a hand around him to ephisize his point.

"I mean out in the forest, you haven't been out of the gardens since... in the last few months," Celebrian said quickly changing her words half way through. "When Elladan is better I think the pair of you should go out hunting with your Adar, does that sound good?"

Elladan nodded, smiling. "Yes, it does."

* * *

_A few months later..._

"Elladan! Elrohir!" The Elven Lord's cries became more desperate as he turned again eyes searching every inch of the forest for his sons fear tearing at his heart. Not again, how could he have lost them again? "Elladan! Elrohir!"

He hadn't been gone that long had he? It had only been mere minutes. He had told them both to stay put, they wouldn't have wondered off so carlessly forgetting his anxieties as well as their own would they? Then a horrible thought crossed his mind, what if they hadn't wondered off? What if they had been taken again? He couldn't bear for that to happen to his boys - not again.

"Elladan! Elro-"

"Ada?"

Elrond span around to see the twins standing at the edge of the clearing where they were camping for lunch and raced over to them pulling them close. "I thought I told you to wait here," he sighed eyes closed. That had been too close for him, far too close.

"It wasn't my fault Ada," Elladan protested resting his head against his father's chest. Elrond obviously needed the reassurance, he could hear his father's heart was beating wildly with worry and fear. "Elrohir caught sight of a rabbit and tried to shoot it he missed-"

"-Elladan made a noise and frightened it-"

"-It doesn't matter," Elladan dismissed his brother's comment. "Elrohir went after it and so I thought it would be best to follow him, so really it was all his fault."

"We only went a little way away, we could still see the camp," Elrohir said looking up into his father's worried silver eyes. He paused. "We didn't think..."

"I know you didn't," Elrond said sitting down on a log pulling his children with him, still not satisfied that they were there if he could not hold onto them. It was too much for him, he wondered if they knew how much strain the past year had put on his heart. They had probably just blocked everything out, that was natural and probably best for them. He would have to keep an eye on them though, he didn't want them developing psychological problems because of repressed memories.

"Are you angry with us?" Elladan asked from where he sat beside his father.

Elrond rubbed his aching temples with one hand eyes closed. "No I'm not angry with you, I was just worried. You two have to learn to think before you act, that's what got you in a bad situation the last time."

Both the twins immediatly tensed and Elrohir who was still clutching his father's hand squeezed it so tightly that it almost hurt. The very thought of what had happened a year ago had the same effect on the twins as nails grating down a black board.

"Sorry Ada," Elrohir mumbled.

"No I'm sorry Elrohir, I shouldn't have said that," Elrond said quickly knowing that he had just brought a lot of unwanted thoughts back to the surface. He opened his eyes looking at them both. "You just have to be more careful, the forest is safe, I can assure you, but the world beyond Imladris isn't and I am never going to let you go out if you can't learn to think first."

"But we were so close, we didn't wonder off we were right over there," Elladan waved his hand casually in the direction they had come from.

"I know," Elrond sighed. "I over reacted, but you have to be careful, you two are so precious to me."

"Sorry, we'll think next time, I promise," Elladan said quietly.

"Good," Elrond smiled looking over at the fire the twins had started to build. "Why don't we get started on lunch then?"

* * *

They returned to the Last Homely House as the last pink fingers of sunlight receeded across the sky. Celebrian was sitting on the balcony waiting for them reading a book she had found in the library. When she heard the sound of excited talking she looked up over the edge of the book to see her husband walking up the sloping lawns followed by Elladan and Elrohir. As usual the twins seemed to be arguing, and as usual it was only child like banter which could easily be ignored.

Elrond smiled at her when he noticed that she was watching them over the top of the book and quickened his pace ever so slightly. The twins followed behind him, jogging in small spurts to keep up with their father.

When they finally reached the balcony walking up the steps to where Celebrian sat at a garden table she put down her book and smiled, happy to see that they were obviously having a good time. She hadn't seen them all like that in a while...

"Did you have fun?" She asked the twins who nodded exaggeratedly.

"Ada taught us how to fix a snare," Elrohir said excitedly. His mind was already thinking up all of the tricks he could play on unsuspecting elves with the trap his father had taught him.

Elrond raised his eyebrows suddenly understanding the look on his son's face - Elrohir was a lot like Elros, in many ways. "Which you will not use on poor innocent elves-"

"Adar, how can you possibly think that I would-"

"Or Glorfindel," Elrond said cutting Elrohir off. He remembered that the Balrog Slayer had a habbit of getting in the way of his son's tricks - probably because he was the one that tried to stop them all the time. There was no fighting the twins. Their minds worked differently and with both of them working on something they could usually work out a completely flawless plan. True they didn't always catch the one they intended to, but it was good enough.

"I can't believe you really think that little of us," Elladan said incredulously mirroring his twin's expression, which Celebrian thought, resembled their father more than they would probably like to think.

"I was young once," Elrond said slinging his wuiver over the back of a chair and resting his bow against the table before sitting down opposite Celebrian. "I know what you two are like."

"I can't imagine you being young," Elladan said sitting down at the table with his parents before relieving himself of his bow and quiver - Elrohir followed suit. Elrond smiled recalling that he had said something similar to that to his own father.

"Were you like us?" Elrohir asked an expression that looked like curiousity creeping into his face - Elrond could see the slight malicious glint in it and knew what the younger twin was planning. Elrohir definatly had the brains in most operations - not that Elladan was unintelligent - but everything had an alteria motive with the younger twin. If Elrond told him what he and Elros had been like when they were younger he would immediatly be branded a hypocrite.

"Of course he was," Celebrian said answering for her husband smiling. "Worse even."

Elladan snorted rather ungracefully for an elf - especially one with his parentage - and Elrohir laughed, though whether this was because of the impertinent sound Elladan had made or his father's expression nobody knew.

Elrond raised an eyebrow. "Worse?"

"Far worse," Celebrian said leaning back in her chair her eyes glittering with mirth and that same hint of malice he had caught in his son's eyes a moment ago. _So that's where he gets it from_, the Elven Lord thought rolling his eyes. "And back then children were supposed to be better behaved. You lot get away with murder these days."

"Well I don't think using Erestor's book for archery practice qualifies as murder," Elladan said, "and I didn't get away with it either. I was cleaning the stables for weeks."

"Ah yes, but you murdered something even more valuable to Erestor than another elf - you killed a poor innocent book," Elrohir laughed and everyone smiled at that. It was true that Elrond's advisor was far too protective of his books.

"It wasn't a good one anyway," Elladan said dismissing the thought.

"I thought it was valuable," Elrohir said looking across at his brother.

"It was jibberish," Elladan replied, "I couldn't understand a word of it."

Elrond rolled his eyes, "that is because it was very old and very valuable and written in a dead language."

"Oh."

"Yes oh," Elrond said smiling at his son's expression.

"It was amusing though, when Erestor caught Elladan," Elrohir said remembering. "I was terrified, I thought that Erestor was going to throttle him."

"Or lecture me to death on the importance of books."

It was Elrohir's turn to laugh then. He stopped suddenly when his stomach growled and he was reminded that he was terribly hungry. "I'm starving," he complained looking at his parent's hopefully.

"We only ate a few hours ago," Elrond protested.

"But-"

"All you ever think about is your stomach Elrohir," Elladan grinned.

"You can talk," he turned back to his parent's trying to make himself look as innocent as possible.

Celebrian laughed. "Alright then, go and get something from the kitchens both of you."

Elrohir jumped up grabbing Elladan and dragging him towards the kitchens.

The two elder elves watched the pair run away through the balcony doors and out into the hall, and smiled, their hearts warming.

"He's definatly better now," Elrond said thinking of Elladan. The elder twin didn't falter at all anymore when he was moving - it was quite amazing considering the fact that a few months ago he could barely walk.

"Glorfindel suggested that he could take them on patrol in a few days," Celebrian said seeing her husband's hesitant expression. "Elladan wants to go, it would mean the world to him."

"I know," Elrond sighed suddenly finding the table interesting. "It's just..."

"What?" Celebrian asked when her husband's words faltered.

"Today, whilst we were hunting," Elrond explained slowly. "I went away for only a few moments and once I returned they were gone." His eyes darted up to hers before looking away again. "I thought that I had lost them again."

"But you didn't-"

"I could have," Elrond protested. "What if something had happened to them and I wasn't there? How would I ever be able to live with myself. And they don't think Celebrian, they went chasing off after a rabbit or something like that. It doen't really matter, the point is-"

Celebrian reached across the table tilted her husband's chin up so that she could look him in the eye. "The point is that you worry too much. They're lucky to have you here for them, you'll do anything for them, but they're growing up Elrond you will have to let them go."

"How can I when they can't think ahead?" Elrond asked, but his words had lost their conviction. Inside he knew that the twins were growing up. He could see it sometimes just in the way they spoke and acted - but sometimes they could be so stupid...

"They'll learn," Celebrian smiled her eyes glittering. "You have to learn to relax."

"I am relaxed," Elrond replied.

"You are now," she said slowly, "but you follow them around everywhere - you'll give yourself grey hairs."

Elrond inadvertantly looked down at his hair where it lay across his shoulder. "I don't think elves get grey hairs."

Celebrian grinned. "What about my father?"

"I doubt that you gave him grey hairs," Elrond said looking across at his wife, noticing the mischievous smile "...then again..."

Celebrian laughed. She looked in the direction her sons had gone in. "Do you think we should go after them?"

Elrond followed her gaze and nodded, "yes we need to make sure that they don't deplete the food stores."

They both stood and wandered after their sons everything that had happened in the past year completely forgotten. Elrond smiled when they found them fighting with the food instead of eating it knowing that his family was the greatest gift in the world. The greatest treasure...

* * *

_A/N: Wheeee I finally finished it! I am so pleased with this story! And I am so thankful to all of the people who have reviewed! I would write out all of your names, but I have a tendancy of missing out people, but thank you to everyone that had read, reviewed favorited and even glanced at this story._

_It does need editing I will admit, there are thousands of grammatical mistakes as well as one or two where I forget about something I wrote in a previous chapter so check back here sometimes, there may be some big changes._

_Ok please please review I'm trying to hit 100_

_Thank you very much everyone!_

_ElvenHope_


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